The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been unable to take decide on thousands of environmental impact assessment (EIA) and initial environmental examination (IEE) cases since 2015, Pakistan Today has learnt.
These delays have caused losses of millions of rupees to new business ventures and become a blessing in disguise for those who like to violate laws.
Before the execution of any project or business, it is essential for proponents to receive no objection certificates (NOC) from the EPA which are rewarded after reviewing IEE or EIA reports submitted to the department.
According to EPA rules, after the receiving of IEE report/case, department is bound to inform the applicants within the next ten days regarding the shortcomings of the report. If department finds no shortcomings, then it is bound to make decision within 45 days so that applicants can begin their business or project.
In case of EIAs, the department is also responsible to inform applicants within 10 days regarding shortcomings in the reports and if there are no shortcomings, then it is necessary to make the decision within 90 days of application submissions.
To review IEE or EIA cases, the EPA may consult such committee of experts as may be constituted for the purpose by the departmental director-general where expert opinion is required. These reviews are based on assessment of the documents and data furnished by the applicant, comments from the public and government agencies received under Regulation 10, and views of the committees mentioned in sub-regulations 2 and 3.
Sources privy to the development say that the EPA received at least 200 EIA cases from 2015 to 2016 while receiving as many as 1900 IEE cases. They said that during the last two years, the EPA only decided on a few EIA cases, many of them submitted by influential persons. “The process of deciding on such cases is slow and the department hardly processed a few EIA cases and only 500 of the IEE cases,” sources revealed, adding that the situation created hurdle many hoping to start businesses.
Sources also say that currently the EIA section was being run by just one deputy director and four assistant directors while it required at least 20 persons to take decisions within the stipulated time.
An official seeking anonymity told Pakistan Today that the EIA section had become particularly inefficient during the last two years, admitting that the EPA was responsible for the delays. “This raises many questions regarding the EPA’s competence. Departmental delays not only hinder those following the law, but also help violators”, he added.
When contacted, EPA Spokesperson Naseem ur Rehman Shah claimed that the department was decided on EIA and IEE applications after completing due procedures, adding that the delays might in fact be caused by late replies by applicants.
