Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy - IUCN

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the Chief, Environment. This will allow the Chief to
focus on conceptual development of the NWFP’s
environmental programme, develop and review policies,
and support fund-raising for the implementation
of the SPCS by the line departments.
The SAP Section in the PE&D Department will
also be placed under the new Additional Secretary,
Environment. This will ensure the much-needed coordination
in the implementation of the SAP in relation
to the environment programme, which has also
been a problem at the Federal level. It will also
facilitate having the SAP better address environmental
concerns.
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I N S T I T U T I O N A L P R O C E S S E S
The Environmental Protection Agency
The NWFP Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has steadily grown from a ‘project’ in 1992 into a
separate ‘Attached Department’ of the Government.
Over the years, it has acquired experienced staff and
expertise, and has begun a respectable programme,
especially in awareness raising and environmental
quality monitoring. The ongoing World Bank support
project envisages further strengthening of the EPA,
but it does not provide for a meaningful presence
and operation in various parts of the province outside
Peshawar.
The SPCS emphasis on participatory law enforcement
requires a strong and effective EPA. This is particularly
necessary to bring business and industry into
a meaningful dialogue for voluntary compliance with
the NEQS. It is important, therefore, to constantly
review the EPA strengthening and performance under
the World Bank project and to give the agency, on a
priority basis, the additional funds necessary for the
effective enforcement of the new environmental laws.
Equally important is the strengthening of the traffic
police department who, with virtually no support
under the environmental programme in the past, have
done useful work in reducing vehicular pollution.
Their requirement for additional support needs to be
reviewed, and support provided.
The EPA’s main responsibility will become
enforcement of environmental legislation, environmental
quality monitoring, and awareness raising.
188 SARHAD PROVINCIAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY
Due to an institutional vacuum, however, the
agency is being involved in programmes that should
be done by line departments. This needs to be
avoided to allow the EPA to concentrate on law
enforcement and, it is hoped, on voluntary compliance
programmes.
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NCS-SPCS COORDINAT I O N
The SPCS is designed to implement the NCS in the
NWFP. The SPCS commitments adopt and refine the
NCS priorities according to provincial needs and
aspirations. But the feeling persists that there is a
need to coordinate provincial initiatives with NCS
implementation at the Federal level. Recognizing this,
the NWFP has appointed the Joint Secretary of the
NCS Unit in the Federal Government as a member of
the Steering Committee for the SPCS. However, for a
variety of reasons, the NCS Unit has not participated
in any of the Steering Committee meetings. This does
not mean that there has been no coordination. All
provincial Government projects above Rs. 100 million
proceed through approval processes in the
Federal Government. Also, the NWFP is represented
on the Federal Pakistan Environment Protection
Council. Yet a more effective coordination at programming
level is undeniably required. And the
Federal Government needs to be more aware of
provincial initiatives.
Therefore, in addition to effective participation
with the Federal Government, the SPCS envisages
that the NWFP should continue eliciting Federal
Government’s participation in provincial bodies such
as the Steering Committee. Special efforts to host
summits, workshops, briefings, and visits for the
Federal Government would also be of value.
1 6 . 4
ROUND TABLES & FOCAL POINTS
At its October 1994 meeting, the Steering
Committee for the SPCS approved the creation of
focal points (new staff) and round tables for key
themes of sustainable development in the NWFP.
These include Forestry and Biodiversity, Agriculture,