LAHORE: The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the Punjab Environmental Protection (Review of Initial Environmental Examination and Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2022, has made the inclusion of rainwater harvesting systems mandatory for 23 different sectors.
The move aims to promote water conservation and safeguard both surface and groundwater resources across the province.
According to Director General of Environment Imran Hamid Sheikh, rainwater harvesting systems must now be incorporated into the project designs for poultry farms, fish farms, petroleum refineries, textile industries, and garment units. The requirement also extends to the food industry, flour mills, rice mills, ghee and oil mills, petrol pumps, and cement plants.
Further, the regulation applies to sugar mills, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, paper mills, and fertilizer manufacturing units. Non-industrial sectors such as airports, housing societies, commercial buildings, hotels, and marriage halls are also included in the mandate.
As per the EPA notification, the planning, design, and operational efficiency of these systems will be thoroughly evaluated. Approval for any new construction will be contingent upon the integration of a rainwater harvesting system in the project’s design.
Now, under Section 6(1)(t) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997, the DG EPA has declared that no environmental approval applications will be processed for any of the aforementioned project types unless their Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports explicitly include a detailed plan for the installation and effective utilization of rainwater harvesting systems.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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