Empowering Sustainable Tourism: A Workshop on Environmental Compliance

The Project Management Unit (PMU) of the KITE Department of Tourism (DoT) recently organized a one-day training workshop in Peshawar. The workshop focused on the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in developing and enforcing environmental regulations, EPA guidelines, World Bank safeguard document compliance, and the KITE Grievance Redress Mechanism (KITE-GRM).

The workshop was inaugurated by the Project Director of KITE DoT, Touseef Khalid. He warmly welcomed the attendees and outlined the workshop’s objective – to familiarize development authorities and Department of Archaeology & Museums (DoAM) staff with the EPA’s role and requirements.

Dr. Habib Jan, Deputy Director of EPA, delivered an insightful session on the EPA’s guidelines and the importance of the EPA Act of 2014. Consultant Dr. Irfan discussed safeguarding documents, specifically PCRMP and ESMP, while Shafqat Ali Khan elucidated the KITE-Grievance Redress Mechanism.

The workshop was attended by representatives from the Tourism department and its allied authorities, including Galiyat Development Authority, Abbottabad, Kaghan Development Authority, Upper Swat Development Authority, and Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, KP. The workshop was meticulously designed to equip attendees with essential knowledge for ensuring environmental compliance, particularly within the scope of tourism projects.

Mr. Yasir Ali Khan, Additional Secretary of the Department of Tourism, praised KITE’s capacity-building efforts. He distributed certificates to participants, emphasizing the workshop’s significance in promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Project Director Touseef Khalid expressed his gratitude to all participants for their active and enthusiastic participation throughout the session. The workshop marked a significant step towards fostering environmentally responsible tourism in the region.