Peshawar (PR): The Annual Development Program (ADP) schemes of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency (KP EPA) came under review during a review meeting chaired by Mr. Junaid Khan, Secretary Climate Change, Forest, Environment & Wildlife Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The session focused on progress, challenges, and future direction of key environmental initiatives. Mr. Iqbal Hussain, Director General KP EPA, briefed the meeting on the status of various ADP schemes, while the Additional Secretary of the Department and senior EPA officers were also in attendance.
During the briefing, the Director General highlighted the successful introduction of Zig-Zag technology in the construction and operation of brick kilns across the province. He informed the meeting that 14 brick kilns have already been converted to the cleaner Zig-Zag system, with plans underway to further expand the initiative. He added that operating conditions have been reviewed and revised to make them more facilitative, encouraging kiln owners to voluntarily shift to environmentally friendly practices. Additionally, he shared that four environmental laboratories have been proposed at Hattar, Mardan, Swat, and Karak under the Strengthening and Capacity Building of EPA scheme.
Chairing the meeting, Secretary Environment Junaid Khan assured the KP EPA of the Department’s commitment towards the establishment of a KP Climate Change Authority. He directed the Director General to immediately initiate work on the feasibility study, along with drafting the roles and regulatory framework of the proposed authority, for submission to the Provincial Government. He noted that similar authorities are already operational in other provinces and emphasized that the Climate Change Authority would serve as a cornerstone institution for implementing the province’s Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, primarily through the regulatory arm of the Department, KP EPA.
Reaffirming institutional support, the Secretary pledged full backing to KP EPA in its mission to confront emerging environmental and climate challenges, stressing timely and decisive action to safeguard the province’s ecological future.
