Despite warnings from European Union and other countries that export orders from Pakistan could be affected if environmental standards are not complied with, the federal government as well as industrial sector have yet to make any serious effort for setting up effluent treatment plants in five industrial areas of the metropolis.
The industrial areas, where Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) are planned, include Korangi, Landhi, Federal."B" Area and New Karachi industrial areas, sources in Sindh Environment and Alternative Energy Department told Business Recorder here on Tuesday. The basic objective to establish ETPs is to ensure discharge of only treated sewage into the seawater, so as to prevent marine life and land environmental degradation.
The sources said that industrial units were facing immense pressure by foreign buyers to comply with the standard set regarding environmental protection.they added that tanneries association of Pakistan had already set up a sewerage treatment plant to meet the condition of European Union regarding environment protection.
The Ministry of Industries had prepared a plan around three years back to set up five Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) in industrial areas of Karachi, the revenue engine of the country.
However, industrial sector raised grave apprehension over the prototype model of the project, which was designed by a New Zealand firm. In the project no stakeholder including federal government, city government or private sector was named as commanding authority in the initial planning, therefore, neither of the stakeholder expressed interest to contribute in the project.
The industrial circles were of opinion that the bureaucratic tactics were prime cause of delay in establishment of ETPs for over three years. In absence of any treatment plant, factories are discharging toxic chemicals into the sea, which not only posed threat to the marine life, but also to the lives of people living along the coast.
Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) officials have turned a deaf ear to the complaints pertaining to discharge of toxic chemicals into seawater, they said. According to department sources, even feasibility report of the ETP in Korangi Industrial area yet to be prepared. "The estimated cost of setting up a modern ETP in Kornagi is Rs 5,000 million alone and it would take three to four years if work on the project is started right now," they said.
"In case Landhi Industrial Areas is also made part of the project then it would cross the figure of Rs 10 billion besides treatment plants in other areas." They said that unchecked environmental degradation would not only affect the people of the province but also exports of industrial units, as well, as according to WTO, all factories would have to undergo environmental auditing.
The industrial circles opposing the idea that government should run the project suggested that an independent company should be constituted to oversee construction of treatment plants.
All stakeholders including trade bodies, city government and others should be taken onboard in the company, which will be private and not to be run by government. They appealed to the government and industrial sector to work jointly on setting up ETPs as to remove fears of restrictions being imposed by foreign buyers, which could cause damage to national exchequer.