PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has prepared draft legislation aimed at strengthening protection of rivers and surrounding ecosystems, with the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa River Protection Amendment Act, 2025 expected to be tabled before the provincial cabinet soon.

According to officials, the bill proposes the designation of a 200-foot buffer zone along all rivers as protected land, restricting development in these areas in order to preserve fragile ecosystems and reduce environmental degradation. The amendments also introduce provisions for large-scale tree plantation along riverbanks to counter soil erosion, mitigate flood risks and improve environmental health.

Under the proposed River Protection Amendment Act, any individual or company planning to build bridges, hotels, homes or other infrastructure within 200 feet of a river will be required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant authorities, ensuring that development activities comply with environmental regulations and do not harm the rivers. To address the problem of water pollution, the bill makes it mandatory for all new buildings within the protected zone to install sewage treatment plants, a requirement that will apply to hotels, homes and commercial properties alike.

One of the more stringent measures is a significant increase in fines for releasing untreated sewage into rivers, with penalties rising from the current Rs10,000 to Rs100,000. The draft also tackles the issue of illegal encroachments along riverbanks, stipulating a seven-day notice for removal and up to seven years’ imprisonment for violators who fail to comply.

The Law Department has finalised the draft and forwarded it to the Irrigation Department for review, after which it will be presented to the provincial cabinet for approval before being introduced in the assembly.