This Act principally makes provision for administration of matters affecting the environment and, marginally, for environmental impact assessment and the handling of hazardous matters. It also defines environmental offences and prescribes penalties for those offences.
The Act provides for the establishment of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Council, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, Provincial Sustainable Development Funds, and Environmental Tribunals. The Council shall coordinate and supervise national environmental policy and ensure the implementation of a national conservation strategy. It shall approve National Environmental Quality Standards and provide guidelines for the protection and conservation of species, habitat and biodiversity. The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency is headed by a Director General and shall administer and implement provisions of this Act, prepare national environmental policies and a National Environment Report, and National Environmental Quality Standards. Its tasks are outlined in detail in section 6 and its powers in section 7. Every provincial government shall establish an Environmental Protection Agency and delegate powers to such Agency. The Provincial Sustainable Development Funds shall be established for each province. No proponent of a project shall commence construction or operations without having filed with the Government Agency an initial environmental examination or an environmental impact assessment and having received subsequent approval of the proposed operations from the Agency.
Provisions on the handling of hazardous substances are given in section 14. Environmental Tribunals shall be established by the Federal Government who shall specify territorial jurisdiction of each Tribunal. Contravention of provisions of this Act shall be submitted to the Tribunal for its decision by authorities or aggrieved persons.
An Act to provide for the protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment, for the prevention and control of pollution, and promotion of sustainable development.
Date of text 06 Dec 1997 This Act repeals the Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance, 1983. Source language Legislation Amendment Toolkit legislation Regulatory Approach Plastic toolkit tags Hazardous waste Amended by on 09 Jan 2013 Implemented by on 01 Jan 2001 on 10 Feb 2000 on 01 Jan 2003 on 01 Jan 2000 on 23 Jan 2013 on 29 May 2003 on 18 Jul 2001 on 01 Mar 2001 on 01 Jan 2001 on 10 Mar 2000 on 07 Oct 2015 on 18 Oct 2010 on 18 Oct 2010 on 18 Oct 2010This website is supported by and contributing to the InforMEA Project which is funded by the European Union
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