Daily Times

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan on Tuesday stressed the need of evolving an effective coordinations between all concerned departments and agencies for prevention of environmental pollution and challenges.

He was chairing the first meeting of the Environmental Protection Council in which a briefing was given on the council structure, powers and responsibilities.

The meeting attended by cabinet members, administrative secretaries, private members of the council and other relevant officials approved rules of procedure of the council along with some necessary amendments and formation of various committees.

Chief Minister, Mahmood Khan directed to ensure strict implementation of laws and regulations to closely monitor factories causing environmental pollution.

He said that Environmental Protection Agency should be given the power to cancel the NOCs of factories causing pollution, adding KP Building Control Authority should be activated soon to protect agricultural lands.

The meeting decided to conduct fresh environmental profiling in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and decided to introduce ZigZag technology in brick kilns to reduce environmental pollution.

The meeting further decided to use modern equipment for monitoring water and air pollution and agreed to install automatic sensors in factories to monitor industrial pollution.

The meeting also agreed to install water recycling plants in industrial zones and instructed the concerned authorities to expedite work in this regard.

The participants of the meeting were informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Change Policy and Action Plan 2022 would be soon presented before the provincial cabinet for a final approval.

During the briefing, it was informed that necessary amendments have been proposed in Environmental Protection Act 2014 for effective prevention of environmental pollution along with amendment clause for a complete ban on plastic bags.

CM briefed about performance of KMU: Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq on Tuesday called on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and briefed him in detail about the performance and progress of the varsity and its various academic and research activities.

During the meeting, he thanked the chief minister and the provincial government for including four development schemes worth Rs 7481.707 million for KMU in the annual development program.

Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq informed the CM that the excellent services rendered by the KMU Public Health Reference Lab during the coronavirus pandemic through timely measures resulted in less loss of life and property in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa than in other provinces.

He said that more than 1.8 million tests have been conducted in PHRL so far, while KMU has opened new campuses in most of the districts of the province in the last two years with 200 institutes and 50,000 students thus becoming the largest university of the province.

He apprised that the university has presented a surplus budget for the last several years due to excellent financial discipline and control of additional expenses.

Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq briefed the CM about his recent visit to Kabul and said that the Afghan government has expressed special interest in opening a campus in Kabul in collaboration with KMU and Insha-Allah, the KMU International Campus will be launched soon.

He welcomed the decision of the chief minister to set up medical colleges in Charsadda, Buner, Timergara, Mansehra, and Karak and reiterated all possible cooperation and guidance with the Health Department in this regard.

Meanwhile, KMU vice chancellor expressed special thanks to the chief minister for including four developmental schemes worth Rs 7481.707 million for the establishment of the Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, KMU Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Swat, Bone Marrow Transplant Center Peshawar, and KMU Institute of Health Sciences Matta Swat.

He hoped that completion of these projects would not only help KMU to stand on its own feet but it will also help the general public to get the best medical treatment and medical research facilities at their doorstep.

Later, he formally invited the chief minister to inaugurate four new laboratories, Academic and Administration Block, Hayatabad, Peshawar, and the newly established Institute of Health Sciences at Mardan, Kohat, and Para Chinar campuses.

The chief minister thanked him and directed his staff to make necessary arrangements for the inaugurations of the said projects after the Eid ul Azha holidays.