ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND POLICIES IN PAKISTAN
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSAND
POLICIES IN PAKISTAN
ENVIRONMENTA French word “to encircle or surround”
As per Punjab Environmental ProtectionAct, 1997 (amended 2012)Environmentis defined as
• air, water and land;
• all layers of the atmosphere;
• all organic and inorganic matter andliving organisms;
• the ecosystem and ecologicalrelationships;
• buildings, structures, roads, facilities andworks;
Need of Environmental Laws
To overcome adverse environmental impacts, various laws and regulations were made to achieve effective outcome
• Legislation (federal, state, local)
• Regulations (federal, state, local)
• Court decisions (interpreting statutes and regulations)
• Constitutions (United States, state)
• International treaties
• Foreign regulations
THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN, 1973
Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance 1983
Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency 1983
National Conservation Strategy 1992
Pakistan Environmental Protection Council 1984
National Environmental Quality Standards 1993
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997
Revised National Environmental Quality Standards 1999
Review of IEE/EIA Regulations. 2000
Self-Monitoring and Record System 2001
Revised National Environmental Quality Standards 2001
National Environmental Action Plan 2001
(A)
Agriculture,
Livestock and
Fisheries, etc
i. Poultry, livestock, stud and fish farms with total cost of more than 10
million rupees.
ii. Projects involving repacking, formulation or warehousing of agriculture
products.
(B)
Energy
i. Hydroelectric Power generation less than 50 MW.
ii. Thermal Power generation less than 200 MV.
iii. Transmission Lines less than 11KV, and large distribution projects.
iv. Oil and Gas transmission system.
v. Oil and Gas extraction projects including exploration, production, gathering
system, separation and storage.
vi. Waste-to-energy generation projects.
(C)
Manufacturing &
Processing
i. Ceramics and glass units with total cost of more than 50 million rupees.
ii. Food Processing industries including sugar mills, beverages, milk and
diary products, with total cost of less than 100 million rupees.
iii. Man made fibers and resin projects with total cost less than 100 million
rupees.
iv. Manufacturing of apparel including dying and printing, with total cost of
more than 25 million rupees.
v. Wood products with total cost of more than 25 million rupees.
(D)
Mining & Mineral
Processing
i. Commercial extraction of sand gravel, limestone, clay, sulphur and other
minerals not included in Schedule II with cost of less than 100 million
rupees.
ii. Crushing, grinding and separation processes.
iii. Smelting plants with total cost of 50 million rupees.
(E)
Transport
i. Federal or provincial highways (except maintenance, rehabilitation or
reconstruction of existing mettaled roads) with total cost of less than 50
million rupees.
ii. Ports and harbor development for ships less than 500 gross tons.
(F)
Water Management,
Dams, Irrigation and
Flood Protection
i. Dams and reservoirs with storage volume less than 50 million cubic meters
or surface area less than 08 square kilometers.
ii. Irrigation and drainage projects serving less than 15,000 hectares.
iii. Small scale irrigation system with total cost less than 50 million rupees.
(G)
Water Supply and
Treatment.
i. Water supply schemes and treatment plants with total cost of less than Rs.
25 million rupees.
(H)
Waste Disposal
i. Waste disposal facility for domestic or industrial wastes, with annual
capacity less than 10,000 cubic meters.
(I)
Urban Development
and Tourism.
i. Housing schemes.
ii. Public facilities with significant off-site impacts e.g., hospital wastes.
iii. Urban development projects.
(J)
Other Projects.
i. Any other project for which filing of an IEE is required by the Federal
Agency under sub-regulation (2) of regulation.
(A)
Energy
i. Hydroelectric power generation over 50 MW.
ii. Thermal power generation over 200 MW.
iii. Transmission lines (11 KV and above) and grid stations.
iv. Nuclear Power plants.
v. Petroleum refineries.
(B)
Manufacturing and
Processing
i. Cement Plants.
ii. Chemicals projects.
iii. Fertilizers plants.
iv. Food processing industries including sugar mills, beverages, milk
and dairy products with total cost of Rs. 100 Million and above.
v. Industrial Estates (including export processing zones)
vi. Man-made fibers and resin projects with total cost of Rs. 100 Million
and above.
vii. 7. Pesticides (manufacture or formulation).
viii. 8. Petrochemicals complex.
ix. 9. Synthetic resins, plastic and man-made fibers, paper and
paperboard, paper pulping, plastic products, textile (except apparel),
printing and publishing, paints and dyes, oils and fats and vegetable
ghee projects with a total cost more than Rs. 10 Million.
x. 10. Tanning and lather finishing projects.
(C)
Mining and Mineral
Processing.
i. Mining and processing of coal, gold, copper, sulphur and precious
stones.
ii. Mining and processing of major non-ferrous metals, iron and steel
rolling.
iii. Smelting plants with total cost of Rs. 50 Million and above.
(D)
Transport
i. Airports.
ii. Federal or provincial highways (except maintenance, rebuilding or
reconstruction of existing roads) with total cost of Rs.50 million and
above.
iii. Ports and harbors development for ships 500 gross tons and above.
iv. Railway works.
(E)
Water Management,
Dams, Irrigation
and Flood
Protection.
i. Dams and reservoirs with storage volume 50 million cubic meters
and above or surface area of 08 square kilometers and above.
ii. Irrigation and drainage projects serving 15,000 hectares and above.
(F)
Water supply
schemes and
treatment.
i. Water supply schemes and treatment plants with total cost of Rs. 25
million and above.
(G)
Waste Disposal
i. Waste disposal and / or storage of hazardous or toxic wastes
(including land fill sites incineration of hospital toxic waste)
ii. Waste disposal facility for domestic or industrial waste with annual
capacity more than 10,000 cubic meters.
(H)
Urban
development and
tourism
i. Land use studies and urban plans (large cities).
ii. Large scale tourism development projects with total cost more than
Rs. 50 million
(I)
Environmentally
Sensitive Areas.
i. All projects situated in environmentally sensitive areas.