Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy - IUCN

10
U R B A N E N V I R O N M E N T S & S U S T A I N A B L E C I T I E S
culture of collective action among organizations, city
management, NGOs, and the general public, and
they will enhance the organizational capacity for the
efficient delivery of urban services. To coordinate
urban development activities in more meaningful
fashion at a policy level, the Planning, Environment,
and Development Department and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) can play an important role
by influencing urban development activities using the
principles of sustainable development, environmental
protection, and conservation.
1 0 . 3
AIR QUALITY
Air pollution in the major urban centres has reached
alarming levels, and the main contributor is vehicular
traffic. The rapid growth of population in cities has
increased the demand for more transport facilities, and
this has led to an increase in the number of public and
private vehicles within the city limits. Moreover, the
110 SARHAD PROVINCIAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY
cities are the markets and centres for most commercial,
economic, and social activities, and a large number of
visitors from the surrounding rural settlements and small
towns visit the cities daily. There is an increase in the
number of trips and traffic load on the road system of
cities. Most of the cities of the NWFP lack traffic management
plans, and usually a single road or route
serves the entire city, including slow-moving (animaldrawn)
carts as well as light and heavy vehicles.
Poor-quality fuel, large numbers of improperly
tuned and maintained vehicles, and encroachments
by commercial activity on road sides and at junctions
are causing traffic jams and delays, thus contributing
to the high levels of carbon monoxide, nitric oxides,
sulphur dioxide, ammonia, and lead in the air. The
inefficient and substandard public transportation service
in cities of the NWFP encourages the public to
have their own private vehicles. In Peshawar, more
than half the vehicles registered and on roads are private
cars and motor cycles, as Table 10.1 indicates.
Most vehicle owners and drivers are unaware of the
NUMBER & TYPE OF VEHICLES IN PESHAWAR, 1994 TABLE 10.1
TYPE OF VEHICLE REGISTERED ON-ROAD
Motor cycles/scooters 32,500 30,900
Motor cars 40,700 37,600
Jeeps 3,000 3,000
Station wagons 7,000 4,900
Tractors 5,500 4,700
Buses 6,100 5,100
Rickshaws 7,500 7,200
Mini cab taxis 9,500 9,400
Delivery vans 3,800 3,800
Trucks 15,600 12,800
Private carriers 300 10
Ambulances 600 600
Other motorized vehicles 11,300 10,100
Animal-driven carts 4,600 6,000
Total 148,000 136,110
Source: Records of the District Registration Office, Government of NWFP.