Daily Times

The Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC) has initiated inquiry regarding the alleged irregularities in Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), Daily Times has learnt.

A senior official at Ministry of Climate Change, wishing anonymity, said that after receiving multiple complaints regarding the alleged irregularities in Pak-EPA, the MOCC initiated an inquiry into the matter.

The officer informed that Pak-EPA is a regulatory authority and its prime responsibility is to make sure the implementation of the rules and regulation for the protection of the environment, if the head of this department is accused of any irregularities or corruption, then how he/she will make implement the policies on the ground, he added.

Keeping this in view, the State Minister for Climate Change has constituted an inquiry committee head by a senior officer of MOCC to probe into the complaints and allegations regarding the irregularities in Pak-EPA.

Sources said, Sajid Mehmood – a Lab Assistant at Pak-EPA – had submitted an application to Secretary MOCC in Feb 2019, claiming that supplementary grant of Rs 1.9 Million was allocated for the maintenance of the Lab equipment, the contract of the lab maintenance was allocated to a private company without following PPRA rules, and no renovation of the equipment was done, he added.

In another application by Zia Ud Din Khattak, former Director at Pak-EPA in an application to Advisor to Prime Minister for Climate Change, accused the Director General (DG) Pak-EPA for getting Rs 1.5 lac each from 60 water companies during the assessment of the drinking water on the court order. He also accused the DG of misusing the official vehicles.

An official of the Pak-EPA wishing anonymity informed that illegal appointments of some officers and staff is also made in geomantic project by violating the qualification required in the PC-1 of the project.

He also accused that the DG force the steel mills administrations to prepare the Environment Report from specific consultant, while the No Objection Certificates (NOC’s) for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is also delayed by using different tactics allegedly to get bribe money.

When contacted, Farzana Shah – DG at Pak-EPA – said, all these allegations are baseless, the MOCC has also conducted fact-finding inquiry regarding these allegations and these proved to be unfounded.

To a question regarding receiving payment from drinking water companies, she said, two members commission was formed by the court for the assessment of drinking water used by the water provider companies and she was included in the commission as an environmental expert not as DG EPA, she confirmed that not only she but also the other member of the commission also received 1.5 lac rupee each from these companies, and the court in his decision has authorized them to get money from them.

She added that Dr. Ahsan – who is a member of the commission – still visits the companies and gets Rs 150,000 from them for each visit.