960406

FPCCI awards

Rs 77m ETPI work

to Dutch consortium

KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has awarded the contract for the implementation of its 'Environmental Technology Programme for Industry' (ETPI) to National Environmental Consulting (Pvt) Ltd (NEC) a consortium of Dutch companies, for promoting the use of environmentally safe technologies in the industrial sector of Pakistan.

The contract was formally signed here on Saturday by FPCCI President, Senator Ilyas Bilour, and Managing Director, NEC, Azharuddin Khan.

Prior to the signing, the First Secretary, Embassy of Netherlands, E.C. Kengen, called on Senator Bilour and discussed with him matters of mutual interest. He said it was the first ever experience of the Dutch government entering into a direct contractual relationship with a foreign private institution, i.e. FPCCI, a representative body of private industrial sector in Pakistan.

He expressed satisfaction that the ETPI tender procedure was managed according to plan, procedures, schedule and to the standards of objectivity and quality.

Senator Bilour thanked the Dutch government for selecting FPCCI as its first ever private sector partner and assured Kengen of all possible co-operation on behalf of FPCCI in the implementation of ETPI project.

He underlined the need for educating the industrialists about the menace of environmental degradation. The senator also mentioned government's commitment to promulgate the Environment Protection Act by July this year, adding that the industries needed to adopt immediate measures to minimise pollution.

Senator Bilour, however, also urged the government to review the objectionable clauses from the proposed Environment Protection Act, like arrest without warrant and similar punitive actions.

Chairman, Steering Committee, Dr. Samiuzzaman briefed the FPCCI President about the tender procedure regarding the selection of consortium for the implementation of EPTI.

Under the contract, the consortium will implement the five-year ETPI project of FPCCI which aims at promoting the use of environmentally safe technologies in the industrial sector in Pakistan.

The goal will be achieved by adopting measures for pollution abatement, waste management and recycling chemical recovery, more efficient utilisation of natural/economic resources. Production and installation of instrumentation and control systems is also among the major objectives of contract which would help further utilisation of environmentally safe production technologies.

The Dutch government has already approved financial and technical assistance of Rs 77 million-ETPI project. An agreement in this context was signed between Dutch government and FPCCI on Jan 14 this year.-APP