Services for General Public:
Following initiatives have been taken by Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency for NEQS implementation, compliance and monitoring for emission control to address environmental degradation.
- Actions on Brick Kilns Emissions:
Approximately 353 Brick Kilns are functional in Balochistan and almost all of them are operating on Conventional Bull Trench Kilns (BTK) methodology. Bull Trench is outdated and cause significant adverse impacts on air quality and environmental degradation.
Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency initiated action against traditional Bull Trench Kilns. Balochistan EPA held consecutive meetings with Brick Kilns Association from time to time and convinced them to convert kilns from BTK to Zig-Zag Kilns (ZZK).
Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency filed a petition in the Honorable Balochistan Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT) in 2020 and the Honorable EPT decided in favor of Balochistan EPA and directed no brick kiln be allowed on BTK technology to operate on the onset of coming season.
To implement the decision of EPT almost 30 Brick Kilns have shifted to Zig-Zag driven technology and remaining have initiated the conversion process.
- Relocation of Crush Plants out of Quetta Valley:
Crush plants have been a consistent source of air pollution in Quetta city. Most of them were located in close proximity of populated areas and were engaged in face cutting of mountains, hence deteriorating the aesthetic value of these mountains. The dust emissions from stone crushing contained silica particles which are causes of respiratory diseases, tuberculosis and other health effects.
Balochistan EPA contested the matter in the Honorable EPT and Balochistan High Court for relocating crush plants out of the municipal limits of Quetta city. Balochistan EPA sealed all the 31 crush plants on western bypass, Hazarganji, Akhter Abad and Kuchlak. Now it is in the process of clearing the sites and removal of machinery to clear it for some ecological restoration initiative. A committee has been constituted which has decided alternate sites in Dagari and Bostan for the relocation of crush plants out of Quetta city.
- Monitoring and Regulation of Vehicular Emissions:
Vehicular emissions are a constant source of deteriorating air quality of Quetta city. Outdated public transport and rapidly increasing number of motor vehicles, small and large, with poor road infrastructure are a major cause of air pollution in Quetta. Due to surrounding mountains, these pollutants keep hanging on in the environment which bears significant adverse impacts on human health and food web.
- Balochistan EPA, in collaboration with the RTA, Excise and Taxation and Police, identified 16 routes of public transport buses, and carried out inspection of buses on 16 routes in Quetta city.
- After the exercise the RTA cancelled route permits of all such vehicles emitting excessive smoke.
- Hospital Waste Management:
Hospitals, clinics, dentists’ clinics and other health facilities generate significant quantity of hazardous biomedical waste such as sharps, syringes, drips, chemicals, blood, body organs, radioactive waste etc. which is a serious threat to human health and the environment. Section-19 of Balochistan Environmental Protection Act, 2012 and Hospital Waste Management Rules provide for safe collection, handling, transportation and disposal of hospital wastes.
Balochistan EPA initiated strict surveillance of the matter and took action against violators. In this regard orientation meetings were held with Medical Superintendents of major public sector hospitals to sensitize them safe management of hospital waste. A designated team of EPA Inspectors headed by Assistant Director (Hospitals) regularly monitor all 14 public and 49 private hospitals in Quetta city.
- Beat Single Use Polythene by 40 Microns Single Ply Polythene:
Single use polythene bags are serious threats to the environment as it keeps piling in the environment. It is believed that polythene bag last over hundreds of years and do not decompose easily.
To regulate and prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, store, display, use and import of the plastic shopping bags, Balochistan EPA has drafted the act titled as “Balochistan Plastic Shopping and Flat Bags Act, 2022” and forwarded the same to Law Department for vetting.
- Coal Depots in Mach, Kachi:
About 13 coal depots are located in close proximity of populated areas of tehsil Mach. They had been a consistent source of air pollution and emitting black soot. Balochistan EPA served legal notices to them and in case of non-compliance cases were contested against them in Honorable EPT. The court decided in favor of EPA and directed that all coal depots should be closed and relocated to mines areas away from populated areas. EPA, in coordination with District Administration has sealed all coal depots and has given them one month time period to shift their activity to the safer zone/place.
- Relocation of Chromite Grinding Mills:
Chromite Grinding Mills near Muslim Bagh, District Kila Saifullah, were a constant source of air pollution for the nearby localities and Muslim Bagh city. Balochistan EPA initiated action against them in coordination with District Administration and Police.
Their case was contested in the Honorable Balochistan High Court who decided in favor of Balochistan EPA.
- On the decision of Honorable Balochistan High Court, EPA has shifted the Chromite Grinding Mills to the identified sites proposed by the concerned Deputy Commissioner in district Killa Saifullah thereby improving air quality.
- 25 Chromite Grinding Mills have been shifted.
- All the grinding mills are in the process of submitting IEE/EMP to EPA for grant of environmental approval.
- Efforts Towards Conservation of Marine Ecosystem and Marine Biodiversity:
Balochistan has a long coast approximately 760 KMs. The marine ecosystem is not only sources of livelihood to coastal communities but also provide seafood to the country’s urban centers. The marine environment of Balochistan has immense commercial and tourism potential. Coral Reefs are important marine habitat for the growth and speciation of marine creatures.
Balochistan EPA has been regularly monitoring industrial and development activities along the coast in the Districts of Lasbella and Gwadar. Recently, Coral Reefs bleaching near Churna island was reported. Balochistan EPA promptly responded and constituted a specialized team to inspect report and propose action for prevention of bleaching and improvement of the Coral Reefs. Experts from Lasbella University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences were also engaged in the visit to benefit from their expertise.
It was however, not bleaching rather growth of the Coral Reefs which was due stoppage of activities by EPA near Churna island.
Furthermore, the inspection teams also proposed the promotion of ecotourism in the area and declaration of the Churna island as Martine Protected Area (MPA).
- Installation of Effluent Treatment Plant:
Effluent is generated in many manufacturing industries like textile, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, tanneries etc. Contaminated water cannot be released without treatment as it contains toxic and non-toxic chemicals. Releasing it may cause contamination of the existing pure water and will affect the environment. As a result ETP’s are installed in most manufacturing industries.
The Effluent treatment plants (ETP) are used for the removal of high amounts of organic compounds, debris, dirt, grit, pollution, toxic, non-toxic materials and polymers etc. from industrial effluent. The ETP plants use evaporation and drying methods and other auxiliary techniques such as centrifuging, filtration, incineration for chemical processing and effluent treatment.
In Hub industrial area there are thirty two (32) industrial units which generate liquid /effluent waste. However, out of those 20 industries have already installed Effluent Treatment Plants and remaining industries have been directed to install Effluent Treatment Plants within 12 months positively.
- Emission control from Steel manufacturing industries:
Steel manufacturing industry causes significant effects on environmental media- air, water and soil. In the sinter plants the dominant emissions generated from material handling, exhaust, and discharge end are particulate emissions – mainly iron oxides, sulfur oxides, calcium oxides, hydrocarbons, carbonaceous compounds, and chlorides. Emission of particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, organic compounds and other pollutants originate from several operations in the coking plants.
There are five (05) steel manufacturing units in Quetta City whereas sixteen (16) units operational in Hub industrial area. To control the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from steel manufacturing units, wet scrubber are under installation process in steel production units in Quetta whereas out of sixteen (16) steel industries Seven (07) have installed wet scrubber and Nine (09) units are under the process of installation.
- Dust emission control from Rice Mills:
Dust emission from rice mills is generally controlled by installation of cyclone separator. The action of centrifugal and gravitational force removes the suspended elements from the air flow in the cyclone separator. The waste particle dust-laden air is tangentially added into the chamber of separation, creating a vortex flow. As a result, the isolation of tiny suspended particles is accomplished in the small diameter cyclone separator and thus a high degree of separation is achieved.
There are 120 rice mills operational in Nasirabad division. During various mechanical processes carried out for removing husk from rice a fugitive dust is produced causing perilous effects on human health. Furthermore, in case of Parboiled rice processing untreated waste water generated create foul smell and saturate the land in the surrounding areas.
After contesting cases against all those rice mills in EPT, the rice mills owner were strictly directed to comply with environmental laws by installation of cyclone separator and dust collectors etc. In compliance of orders the rice mill owners have initiated legalization process.