Industrialists of Site industrial area have reacted sharply over the notices issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sindh, for non-compliance of National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQs).
At an emergency meeting, over a hundred angry industrialists gathered at the Site Association of Industry (SAI) office here on Thursday to express resentment and dismay over the issuance of notices, which. according to them, had been issued "blindly and without taking the history of the industries into account". The meeting was summoned by Engr M A Jabbar, Chairman of SAI.
The industrialists accused the EPA Sindh of putting spanners in the smooth working of industries and destroying the congenial atmosphere of the industrial estate. The SAI chief was apprised by the industrialists that some of the stitching units were also issued notices, warning them of untreated effluents. Notices have been issued even to several industries which have remained closed for some time.
In the presence of Zubair Motiwala, Advisor on Investment to Sindh Chief Minister, sentimentally charged members of the business community lambasted the EPA "which has not taken into account the legality, which constitutes the basis of issuing notices," regretting that some of the notice recipients are holders of ISO 14000 certificates. They complained to the Chief Minister's Advisor and SAI Chairman that when they appeared before the Director-General, EPA, in compliance to his notices, he failed to entertain them and refused to listen to them. "The Director General, EPA behaved like an unfettered police officer," said an industrialist.
Following the meeting, Jabbar in an urgent communication sent to the Director General, EPA said: "We do concede to your observations that high concentration of pollutants are being released from industrial units, which is leading to contamination of sea water and also affecting air quality."
He, however argued that it is in fact the responsibility of the public sector to facilitate the private sector, which tries to meet the contribution level of taxes expected by IMF. The public sector is being provided funds from the income tax revenue for the purpose, one of which "we have very respectfully brought to your kind notice."
He suggested that the probable solution of these problems in Site industrial area is to set up combined effluent treatment plants and joint stock taking on the solid waste segregated in the nature of its pollutants generated during industrial activity. He SAI chief requested the EPA DG to hold the notices in abeyance and defer the demand of appearance of member industries.
He further asked the EPA to help SAI in generating the pressure for the needful correction by the public sector through public-private partnership and identify the compliance of the type of NEQs for different subsectors and groups, which are 65 in number.
Comments
Comments are closed.