The role of and challenges facing non-governmental organizations in the environmental impact assessment process in Punjab, Pakistan

Figures & data

Table 1. Criteria for evaluating the role of environmental NGOs in the EIA process.

S.no.	Role	Description
1.	As watchdog	Monitor the EIA process and reports Attend explanatory, monitoring, investigatory and other public meetings
2.	As an information provider	Provide environmental information based on their surveys
3.	As a pressure group	Act as a pressure group to influence other bodies and ensure that the EIA is properly conducted

Source: Ryu et al. (2004)

Table 2. Comparison of population by province in Pakistan.

Administrative unit	Population (million) 2017 census
Pakistan	207.77
Punjab	110.01
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	30.52
Sindh	47.89
Baluchistan	12.34
Islamabad	2.00
FATA	5.00

Source: Government of Pakistan (2017)

Table 3. EIA cases submitted in different EPAs of Pakistan during 2016 and 2017.

	No. of cases submitted
Environmental protection agency	Year 2016	Year 2017
Punjab EPA	130	123
Baluchistan EPA	6	5
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa EPA	27	17
Federal EPA	12	5
Sindh EPA	69

Source: Khan et al. (2018)

Table 4. Brief description of the NGOs interviewed.

S. no.	Organisation name	City	Local/national/international	Year of establishment	Scope of work	No. of people interviewed	Involved/not involved
1.	Lahore Conservation Society (LCS)	Lahore	Local	1984	Heritage conservation and environmental protection	3	Involved
2.	SIMORGH	Lahore	Local	1985	Women resource publication and environmental protection	2	Involved
3.	Park Bachao Tehreek	Lahore	Local	Not a registered organisation. It was a movement that started in 2012	Environmental conservation	2	Involved
4.	National Cleaner Production Center-Foundation (NCPC-F)	Rawalpindi	National	1999	Cleaner production and environmental protection	2	Involved
5.	World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)	Lahore	International	1970	Environmental conservation	2	Involved
6.	International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)	Islamabad	International	1985	Nature conservation	3	Involved
7.	Awami Development Organization	Layyah	Local	1996	Social welfare	1	Involved
8.	Ghazi Barotha Taraqiati Idara: GBTI	Islamabad, Attock	National	1995	Community welfare: resettlement and compensation	2	Involved
9.	Green Circle Organization	Lahore	National	1990	Food security and environment	1	Involved
10.	Ufaq Development Organization	Multan	Local	2002	Social welfare and environment	1	Involved
11.	Zafar Memorial Foundation Mianwali	Mianwali	Local	2000	Social welfare and environment	1	Involved
12.	Majlis- e- Tahaffuz- e- Maholiat	Sargodha	Local	1996	Environmental protection	1	Involved
13.	Pakistan Green Task Force	Rawalpindi/Islamabad	Local	1998	Environmental conservation and protection	2	Involved
14.	SabzAas	Lahore	Local	2014	Tree plantation and environmental sustainability	1	Not involved
15.	Al-Shajar	Lahore	Local	2015	Environmental conservation	1	Not involved
16.	Afforestation Lahore	Lahore	Local	2019	Tree plantation	1	Not involved
17.	SANJH-Society for the advancement of nature, justice and health	Muzaffargarh	Local	1975	Social welfare and environment	1	Not involved
18.	Lodhran Pilot Project	Lodhran	Local	1999	Community welfare and sustainable development	1	Not involved
19.	Jaago Welfare Society	Kot Addu	Local	2003	Social welfare and environment	1	Not involved
20.	Doaba Foundation	Multan	Local	1987	Social welfare, community development and environment	1	Not involved

Ryu J, Walmsley JD, Slinn P, Harashina S. 2004. The role of environmental non-governmental organizations in the environmental impact assessment process in Japan. Impact Assess Proj A. 22(4):283–293.

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Government of Pakistan. 2017. Pakistan bureau of statistic. [accessed 2019 Jul 12]. http://www.pbs.gov.pk/content/provisional-summary-results-6th-population-and-housing-census-2017-0.

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Khan M, Chaudhary MN, Ahmad SR, Saif S, Mehmood A. 2018. Challenges to EIA consultants whilst dealing with stakeholders in Punjab, Pakistan. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 73:201–209.

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