Sindh Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has decided to prosecute 10 tanneries for violating environment laws in the light of warnings issued by the European Union to cancel export orders of the tanners discharging toxic waste without proper treatment, Business Recorder learnt on Wednesday.
Officials said the Sepa was likely to submit challans against tanneries within one week in the newly formed environment tribunal (ET) after the approval of Sindh Environment & Alternative Energy Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed.
These tanners were discharging effluent water despite the fact that an effluent treatment plant (ETP) had been established by Tanners Association, they said, and added that the association had also recommended stern action those violating the environmental rules and regulations.
It may be pointed out that the EU, Japan and US have issued repeated warnings to such tanneries, which discharge toxic waste without treating it through treatment plant. But neither these tanners have paid any attention to these warnings nor the Sepa officials bothered to ensure compliance of the environmental rules. It is learnt that out of 200 tanneries working in Karachi, only 100 are discharging the waste after treating it through the ETP.
Representative of the Tanners Association and a strong advocate of environment protection Gulzar Feroz said that it was regrettable that some of the tanners were ignoring the environment degradation caused by poisonous waste from their tanneries. These tanners should set up their own treatment plant or be ready to face punishment, which might lead to closure of their tanneries, he said.
He said the Tanners Association had prepared all essential documentation to be presented in the ET against tanners flouting the laws. "Lawyers have been engaged to initiate legal proceedings against all defaulting tanneries to make them answerable before the law," he said.
He criticised the indifference of Sepa officials and the provincial Environment Ministry in delaying action against the tanneries violating the environment laws. He said that about 60 to 70 cases relating to violation of environment norms were being sent to the Environment Minister and we were waiting to see necessary action.
"If Sepa takes action against such tanneries, it will set an example for others to abide by the rules," he said, adding that in case the Sepa failed to take any action, then the government should wind it up as it would only be burden on the national exchequer.
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