The European Union, US, Japan and others countries have asked the Pakistan government and the industrialists to take urgent measures for setting up effluent treatment plants in all the five industrial areas of Karachi, otherwise this might affect their purchase orders, sources told Business Recorder.
In case of failure to set up effluent treatment plants (ETPs), the most likely to suffer would be export-oriented industries. These plants must be quickly set up in industrial areas, including Korangi, Landhi, Federal "B" Area and New Karachi, so that only treated sewerage water is discharged into the sea to prevent further environmental degradation.
Sources said that pressure by foreign buyers had increased since the tanneries association had set up a sewerage treatment plant in compliance with the standards set by European Union regarding environment protection.
The Ministry of Industries had prepared a plan three years ago to set up five ETPs in the industrial areas of Karachi. A New Zealand firm had designed the prototype of the project, on which the industrial sector had expressed grave concerns.
As no stakeholder, either the Federal government, city government or private sector was named in the initial planning as commanding authority to the project, neither of these took interest on it. The industrial circles have termed the bureaucratic tactics as prime reason for delay in establishment of ETPs during these three years.
In the absence of any treatment plant, factories are discharging toxic chemicals into the sea, which poses threat not only to the marine life but also to the lives of people living along the coast. The officials of Sindh Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have turned a deaf ear to the complaints against the discharge of toxic chemicals into sea.
According to sources, even a feasibility report for an ETP in Korangi industrial area has not yet been prepared. "The estimated cost of setting up modern ETP in Kornagi alone is Rs 5,000 million, and it would take three to four years to complete after it is started," they said. "If Landhi Industrial Areas is also added to the project, then the cost would cross Rs 10,000 million." The strong voice in favour of setting up ETPs came from Gulzar Feroz, an eminent industrialists and chairman of FPCCI standing committee on environment.
He told Business Recorder that unchecked environment degradation would not only affect the health of the people of the province, but would also affect the exports of industrial products as, according to WTO, all factories would have to undergo environmental auditing.
Opposing the idea that the government should run the project, he suggested that an independent company should be constituted to oversee construction of the treatment plants. All stakeholders, including trade persons, city government and others should be taken on the board of the company, which will be from private sector and not to be run by the government
He appealed to the government and industrial sector to work jointly for setting up ETPs so as to remove fears of restrictions to be imposed by foreign buyers, which, he said, could cause damage to national exchequer.
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