A joint commission will be constituted shortly to probe and then give report on the rise in air-pollution due to increase of oil and gas fields in Kohat Division. "The commission will probe regarding the air pollution so that a comprehensive strategy may be chalked out to save the precious human lives in Kohat Division," Hamayatullah Khan, Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said this, during the visit he conducted to inspect the oil and gas fields besides increase in different diseases due to air pollution.
Member National Assembly Shahid Khan Khattak, MPA Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel, Zahoor Shakir, Shah Faisal, Secretary Energy and Power Department Muhammad Saleem Khan, Additional Secretary Muhammad Asif, Deputy Commissioner Karak, Kohat, Hangu, Chief Engineer Owais Shaheel, Senior Geologist Kashif Ishaq, Geologist Kashif Tanveer, Deputy General Manager Muhammad Aslam Khattak, representatives from OGDCL, MOL Oil and Gas Company, SNGPL also accompanied him.
Hamayatullah Khan directed the companies to take appropriate, positive and solid measures to keep the environment clean for the valuable human lives in Kohat Division. He said that for corporate social responsibilities, more tree plantations drives be introduced to keep the environment clean besides addressing the complaints of the legislators.
The KP adviser also visited Doke Hussain, Nashpa and Makori oil and gas fields. The lawmakers also expressed their grave concerns over the issue. They said that due to these oil and gas companies all infrastructures had been badly damaged. They lamented that roads of the Kohat Division had been dilapidated due to heavy traffic.
The adviser, however, said that the third party audit would be conducted and those working for the welfare of the people in the area would be encouraged and preferred.
Secretary Energy and Power Department informed them that the land has been purchased on nominal prizes through old land leasing agreement which would be revised very soon through proper legislation.
The legislators objected to meagre oil and gas royalty and emphasized that should be increased so that the living standard of the people could be improved.
The adviser asked the concerned oil and gas companies to revise the plan and provide much-needed employment to the people of the area. He also urged them to introduce scholarships for the local students besides providing sports and other entertainment opportunities to the youth of the area.
The Adviser to the Chief Minister Hamayatullah Khan also visited the control room of the OGDCL. He was told that only Nashpa oil and gas field produced 18400 barrels oil, 86 MMCFD gas and 300 metric ton LGP on daily basis. He directed the concerned quarters to computerise the entire system for record of actual production.
People of the area have filed a writ petition in the high court through their lawyer Muazzam Butt to seek formation of a joint investigation team to probe the theft of crude oil worth Rs 142 billion from the oil and gas fields in Karak.
The lawyer informed the bench that the petition had been filed in the interest of public at large and thus it should be heard by a division bench of the high court. In the petition, the residents also requested the court to declare that the people of Karak, Kohat and Hangu, whose properties and lands suffered damage, faced health hazards and environmental degradation, were entitled to compensation by the provincial and federal governments.
The people alleged that all chemicals extracted from the wells were dumped so carelessly that remain spread around the whole exploration sites attached with Gurguri area. They complained that poisonous chemicals polluted water that adversely affected people and wildlife. They requested the government to ensure clean drinking water, safe environment and safety of their land and livestock.
Comments
Comments are closed.