[caption id="attachment_24755" align="alignright" width="210"] Iranians work on a section of a pipeline linking Iran and Pakistan after the project was launched during a ceremony in the Iranian border city of Chah Bahar on March 11, 2013. (AFP Photo / Atta Kenare)[/caption]
Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - Karachi—Environmental Protection Agency Sindh will process the Environmental Impact Assessment Report of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline in Sindh for its approval by Expert Committee after its go-ahead made at Public Hearing meeting which was held at a local hotel here.
Giving his concluding remarks, Director General EPA Sindh Naeem Ahmed Mughal said that pre and post-construction monitoring of the project will be strictly done to make the proponent take care of every aspect of the environment during this whole developmental activity.

He expressed hope that this project will uplift the socioeconomic milieu and keeping in view of the energy crises, this project is important because available energy resources are rapidly depleting. He said that EPA Sindh encourages development and to foster sustainable development its role is important so that no one can cause any threat to environment and today’s public hearing aims to minimize the potential sources of danger to the environment.

He pointed that the proponent of the project has bypassed the Kirthar National Park during the execution of the project that is a good sign. “Nevertheless, the environmental sensitivity cannot be ignored outside the Kirthar National Park and we have to fully ensure protection of every type of flora and fauna”, he added.

He further said that we have to minimize the changes in natural environment, like we cannot ignore the soil erosion factor which could be caused due to use of heavy machinery during the execution phase of the said project. “In short we should make projects that are environmentally sound and monitoring of Environmental Management Plan will be done at every stage of the referred project”, he concluded. Mr Waqar Hussain Phulpoto, Director Technical EPA Sindh also spoke on the occasion.

It may be pointed out that the mandate of the project IP Gas Pipeline is to supply natural gas from Iran’s South Pars gas field and deliver at Pak-Iran border, near Gawadar and to end at Nawab Shah covering a distance of over 781 KM.

By Pakistan Observer

 

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