Separate water line to Korangi tannery zone: Governor releases Rs 38.4 million from special funds

Governor Sindh, Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has released Rs 38.4 million from his special funds for laying a separate water supply line to tannery industrial zone of Korangi. After hectic efforts of Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) the Tannery Zone would get three million gallons water per day in order to save value-added exports.
PC-I project has already been prepared by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Boat (KWSB) and the contract for the project has been awarded to a local firm following tendering process and after release of the fund work on the project is likely to be commence soon.
Recently, a meeting was held at governor house with a delegation of PTA led by its chairman PTA (SB) Chairman Khurshid Ahmed and Managing Director KWSB Misbah Uddin Farid, Administrator KMC, Muhammad Husain Syed, Commissioner KMC Matanat Ali Khanand and Commissioner Karachi Roshan Ali Shaikh were also present on the occasion.
The association informed governor that the zone is now facing perpetual drought and it threatened the second largest export industry. The tanneries are being constrained to resort the supply of water through private water tankers, which is so expensive and results in increasing production cost and render its exports uncompetitive.
The association informed high ups that the water being consumed today is coming out of boring wells that remains untreated and quite hard and spoils the quality of leather being processed from one of the finest skins of Pakistani livestock. In fact only soft and clean water is required for producing high quality leather for exports, which enables the exporters to fetch at least 15 to 20 per cent better prices internationally.
The association further informed that the KWSB has remained suspended the water supply for several years to the Tannery Zone located in the Sector 7A of Korangi Industrial Area, which houses the biggest national cluster of leather tanning and leather made up units.
Chairman, Khurshid Ahmed apprised the meeting that billion dollar leather industry is dying due to the water crisis and the over Rs 40 billion's exports have been threatened due to the drought like situation at tannery zone. He further said that PTA had sent many SOS to the KWSB high ups but to no one avail. The MD KWSB, Misbah Uddin informed the Governor about shortage of funds for not laying a separate pipeline for Tannery Zone.
Governor Sindh has urged KWSB to immediate supply of water to the tannery zone in Korangi Industrial Area. He regretted that despite repeated meetings of PTA with KWSB MDs and other high officials during the past decade the tannery zone continues to face a drought like situation. The tanneries are being constrained to resort to supply of water through private water tankers which is so expensive and results in increasing production cost and render its exports uncompetitive.
He pointed out that water from boring wells that remains untreated and quite hard and spoils the quality of leather being processed from one of the finest skins of Pakistani livestock. In fact only soft and clean water is required for producing high quality leather for exports which enables the exporters to fetch at least 15 to 20 per cent better prices internationally.
Khurshid Ahmed apprised the meeting that billion dollar leather industry is dying due to the water crisis and the over Rs 40 billion's exports have been threatened due to the drought like situation at Tannery Zone. "The M.D. KWSB has finalised the project of laying down the water pipeline network from Chamra Chowrangi to all inside and peripheral streets of Tannery Zone in Sector 7A, KIA for regular supply of water and the work should be started in a couple of days as announced by the KWSB", Khurshid said.
Khurshid further said that after the resumption of water supply to the Tannery Zone the entire cluster of tanneries in the area would be working smoothly as the water is the main ingredient for the processing of leather and considered as lifeline for the leather industry besides saving the future of around 100,00 workers in the industry.