Rs1b action plan prepared to revive Capital’s beauty
By Bushra Makhdoom

ISLAMABAD—Ministry of Environment has prepared an action plan worth over Rs one billion to bring back the natural beauty of the capital and conserve energy and water resources.
The plan expected to be approved soon by the government will focus on multi-pronged actions to revive charm of the Capital, long affected by development work, traffic snarls, air and water contamination as well as industrial pollution. A fund would be created to implement the action plan while an idea of constructing green buildings is also part of the plan.
Director General pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) told newsmen, “cleaner and Green Islamabad is our overall objective with energy conservation and green buildings as some of important features.” “Green buildings would help conserve energy and improve indoor air quality,” he said.
Shuja said water conservation and rain water harvesting is another important component of the plan while waste water treatments plants would be installed to keep the tributaries and water courses cleaner. “Urban planning would be another area of focus, polluting industries would be removed and environmental requirements would be properly considered in development activities,” he added.
It has been learnt that polluting industries particularly steel factories are working on a proposal to shift out of Islamabad within next three years. Shuja said, a mechanism of emission testing road safety has also been envisaged in the plan to check pollution from public and private sector vehicles.
“Under a pilot project four pilot vehicle emission testing and road safety testing stations would be set up in the Capital,” Asif Shuja said. He said well in time and safe fumigation would be ensured and pollution sources monitoring and cleaning system would be set up at drainage and nullahs passing through the Capital, in collaboration with Capital Development Authority.
There would be seasonal bar on use of water for indoor washing of vehicles and watering the gardens to save water for home use, he said, adding, environment squads would be strengthened in collaboration with the Islamabad Traffic Police. Shuja said caution centres (monuments) would be set up at all entrances into the Capital, warning the smoke emitting vehicles first that they are entering a Green City and then prohibiting their entry.
He said a Green Force would be raised to help EPA and other institutions to effectively implement the plan.