An Industrial Zone for Tanneries would be developed soon in Sialkot and for this purpose necessary arrangements were being finalised. The proposed industrial zone for tanneries would be developed on 300 acres of land while a water treatment plant would also be installed in the zone. The Punjab government had earmarked Rs 90 million for the development of Industrial Zone for Tanneries of Sialkot.
Official sources told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the aim of establishing industrial zone for tanneries is to shift all existing tanneries into zone because the proposed zone would be fully equipped with common treatment plant for controlling effluent and solid waste of tanneries.
At present in Sialkot, as many as 248 tanneries of different sizes are functioning in and close to Sialkot of which nine large, 79 medium and 160 small tanneries are functioning in the area.
The government has taken the step to cope with the pollution threats caused by the ill-planned establishment of tanneries in and close to Sialkot are posing serious threats to human life and gradually degrading the environmental conditions.
The present government had focused its attention to coping with the constant threats of industrial pollution in the Punjab. For this purpose the government had already introduced "Self Monitoring and Reporting Tool" (Smart) programme in the industrial units for self-monitoring and self-evaluation of pollution in the Punjab.
These measures have been adapted to enabling the business community to fulfill the demands and requirements of World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime and other global challenges more easily.
The regular functioning of industrial zone for tanneries would not help in reducing pollution load in tanneries cluster area but also improve the degraded environmental condition caused by the tanneries.
Apart from this inhabitants living in tanneries cluster area would be benefited directly as well as help protect agricultural land, subsoil water from contamination and save the marine life.
The Sialkot based leather industry has gained momentum in the past couple of decades and more than 500 leather and leather products manufacturing units were working in and close to Sialkot and earning huge foreign exchange for the country.
Sources disclosed that under a network programme effluent plants would be installed at Sialkot, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Karachi to avert the pollution threats caused by the tanneries and other industries in these areas. Federal and Provincial governments were endeavouring for ensuring pollution-free atmosphere to the industrial sector to cope with new global standards.
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