ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority (NHA) is committed to building environment-friendly roads while integrating environmental, economic and community goals into planning, design, construction and operation of national highways.
To shape this commitment into reality, an environment section has been formed at the NHA headquarters to take care of environmental aspects of highways.
The section would perform several tasks, including the screening of projects according to Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, hiring a consultant to prepare environment impact assessment, preparation of terms of reference for consultants, said an official of NHA on Monday.
The NHA environment section would also be responsible for reviewing initial environmental examination report and environment impact assessment; it will also coordinate with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and international financial institutions and other agencies for approval, and will organise and conduct public hearing and process progress reports, and will also conduct environmental audits.
It will also prepare due diligence reports and environmental grievances redressal.
Recently, the FWO in collaboration with the NHA has planted 300,000 plants on Islamabad-Lahore Motorway.
Furthermore, one million plants are proposed for plantation on Faisalabad- Multan Motorway in KPK, Sindh and Balochistan region.
