Environmental protection law: Punjab government asked to suspend implementation

The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Standing Committee on Environment has demanded of the Punjab government to suspend implementation of the Environmental Protection Act 1997 till such time as electricity and gas load shedding is controlled.
The treatment plants need uninterrupted supply of electricity to grow biomass in the tanks to achieve the levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) under the prescribed National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS). It is absolutely impracticable and not possible for small and medium enterprises to meet the COD and BOD amid massive load shedding, said Agha Saiddain, Convenor of the Committee, while talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
"I have also held a meeting with the Secretary Environmental Protection, Punjab, as the matter comes under his domain following devolution of power under the 18th Amendment, and gave him a detailed presentation in this regard. The matter relating to issuance of notices to SMEs for installation of treatment plant was also discussed.
The installation of treatment plants with Rs 25-40 million is unaffordable for the SMEs which could invest Rs 10 to Rs 20 million for their plants, he said, and urged the government to take lenient view till the development of industrial parks and cluster and subsequent establishment of combined treatment plants like India, China, and Bangladesh.
Because of alternative fuel due to massive load shedding and frequent suspension of gas supply, the cost of business has been substantially increased that has made the Pakistani products non-competitive at the international market, he said.
Agha further contended that about 40 percent of the textile garment knitwear units have already shifted to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and some other countries. Similarly, the tanners have now started setting up production facilities in China and Africa mainly because of inauspicious business environment in the country, he asserted. The local industry is in trouble due to frequent power and gas load shedding, rising tariffs and prevailing law and order situation, he added.
The foreign investment is shrinking day by day and if the Environment Protection Department continues its present harsh steps against the industry, particularly to the SMEs in Punjab, the whole industrial sector would inevitably be crumbled which would further add to unemployment in the country. This situation could result in acceleration of terrorism, as unemployed people could easily fall prey in the hands of terrorist organisations, he argued.
"The authorities should study models of India, Turkey, China, and Bangladesh, as thinking in isolation could be detrimental to our industry" he said. Giving an example, he said the Indian government had made available Rs 19130 million under the Indian Leather Industry Development Plan to make its industry sustainable and environmental friendly. The Pakistan government should also take steps for providing infrastructure like combined treatment plants and land fill sites as is done in all over the world, he added.
He urged the government to withdraw its notices issued to various industries in Punjab and set up Research and Advisory Cell in the department concerned to offer different options and solutions to industries with regard to control environmental pollution. The EPD should revise the NEQS which are very strict and difficult to achieve even as compared to some European Countries while the government may develop landfill sites for dumping of industrial waste before implementation of EPA 1997.