'EPD To Be Digitalized For Transparent Monitoring Of Industrial Units'

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) The Environment Protection and Climate Change Department would be fully digitalized in collaboration with private sectors to ensure real time and transparent monitoring of industrial units, said Director General Environment Protection Department (EPD) Imran Hamid Sheikh.

Addressing the business community in the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he said that during first four weeks of his assignment, he fully focused on taking administrative and reformative steps within the department and now different tools were being introduced to highlight the importance of neat and clean environment in addition to involving stakeholders in this extensive drive.

He said that organizations and individuals contributing to protect the environment were being acknowledged all over the world and:" In line with this concept we are also introducing a model to plume responsible individuals and organizations".

He said that a prestigious compliance award would be formally announced on the coming World Environment Day (5th June) while the next year selected organizations would be publicly acknowledged with compliance awards of platinum, gold and bronzes, etc.

“It would incentivize the industrial sector to gradually embrace, maintain and improve the environment-friendly practices and standards”, he said and expressed dissatisfaction over the current checking and monitoring system of environment by EPD.

He said that an "Eco-Watch App" was being introduced to regularly monitor industrial emission by installing cameras on the chimneys of the industrial units.

The director general EPD said that another App “Sance” (breath) was also being launched to facilitate the masses to register their complaints about Air Quality Index (AQI) in their specific areas.

Earlier, President FCCI Dr Khurram Tariq pinpointed specific problems faced by the industrial sector about the environment and said :"It is our national and social responsibility to save the environment from pollution".

Vice President FCCI Hajji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli, Atif Munir Sheikh, Hajji Muhammad Abid, Shafique Hussain Shah, Muhammad Amjad Khawaja, Shakeel Ahmad Ansari, Muhammad Asghar Qadri and Shahid Mumtaz Bajwa took part in the question answer session.