Altaf Hamid Rao;
MIRPUR [AJK]: Environmental experts at a daylong workshop on Environmental Orientation here Thursday emphasized the need of the collective role of all concerned including the Environmental Protection and the law enforcement agencies to ensure the pollution-free environment for maintaining the healthy nation and the country in letter and spirit.
The seminar was hosted by Mirpur Division office of the state-run Environmental Protection Agency (EPA] with the chief guest Sardar Rashed Naeem, DIG Police Mirpur Division on this occasion. Director General EPA AJK Raja Muhammad Razaq presided over the inaugural session of the seminar.
The dual session of the seminar-cum-workshop was addressed among others by the Deputy Director EPA Sardar Idrees Mahmood, President AJK Environmental Lawyers Forum Ch. Khalid Yousaf Advocate, President AJK Environmental Journalists Forum Altaf Hamid Rao, Medical Superintendent DHQ Hospital Mirpur Dr. Farooq Ahmed Noor, DHO Dr. Asghar Ali Chaudhry, Assistant Director EPA Raja Rizwan Ullah and heads of various nation-building institutions, leaders of the crushers association, senior journalists, police officers, academicians, lawyers and social workers.
Unveiling the salient features of the objectives of holding of the Environmental Orientation seminar-cum-workshop, Director General EPA Raja Muhammad Razaq said on this occasion that over the time, environment has gained great significance worldwide—as “Rights of Future Generations” are closely aligned with the “Rights of Nature”.
He continued underlining that in order to ensure protection of environment, there were various international and regional Conventions and Agreements—to which Government of Pakistan also being signatory, was equally obliged under international law to take all measures necessary to protect our serine environment.
He pointed out that Azad Jammu & Kashmir Environmental Protection Agency (AJK-EPA) was established under ,,AJ&K Environmental Protection Act 2000,, primarily aimed at to provide the protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment, prevention and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development in AJ&K.
The EPA AJK chief continued that his organization was eagerly pursuing the multidimensional policy to achieve the objectives as per law in real spirit, viz: Awareness amongst stakeholders as well as Enforcement. EPA realizes the significance of contribution of all stakeholder in maintaining serene environment of the State of AJ&K, therefore, as part of awareness vis-a-vis capacity building of all concerned – stake holders.
He said that EPA planned Mirpur workshop/seminar on ‘Orientation of Physical Environment and Enforcement of Law’ on Thursday with prime focus on various areas including Significance of safeguarding the environment for Future Generations; Tractor Trolleys and Trucks carrying over-loaded aggregate without safety measures becoming frequent cause of accidents and Legal Procedures on offences related to environment.
Speaking on this occasion Deputy Director EPA Mirpur Division Sardar Idrees Mahmood, Assistant Director Raja Rizwan Ullah Khan and others said, while elaborating the objectives of holding of the Orientation Session / seminar, that the august moot will lead to overcome the prevailing lack of co-ordination and a disconnect between stakeholders and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Speakers observed on this occasion that the characteristics of many environmental problems are a real challenge to classic scientific knowledge production, especially under conditions of uncertainty. In circumstances of intrinsic uncertainties and high stakes, the traditional fact/value distinction becomes permeable, which leads to a crisis of legitimacy.
Speakers emphasized for the due coordination of all stake holders especially the EPA and the law enforcement agencies besides all concerned segments of the civil society and the civic institutions to ensure totally pollution free environment. They also called for encourage the sense of the upholding and implementation of the rule of law through acting upon the law related to the environmental protection promulgated by the government after due legislation from the AJK Legislative assembly/
They suggested to infuse the spirit of abiding by the environmental protection law among the masses through raising awareness from an individual to a whole of the society.
Director General EPA Raja Muhammad Razaq, on this occasion, awarded shields among elders from the stake holders including various nation-building institutions belonging to law enforcement institutions, senior journalists, lawyers, social workers, academicians and health officials in acknowledgement of their outstanding due role to assist EPA for vanishing pollution from the environment for reaching to the ultimate destination of ensuring and maintaining healthy and pollution-free society.