Experts believe the Sindh's two districts-Thatta and Badin-are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and an inevitable sea intrusion to erode these key coastal districts for their geographical locations, MQM's senior Provincial Minister, Syed Sardar Ahmad told the house during the Sindh Assembly session on Monday.
Answering the questions, on behalf of Sindh Environment Minister Shaikh Muhammad Afzal, the senior Minister, however, made it clear that "a confirmed viewpoint on the basis of a focused study is not available which has already been proposed under the non-lending technical assistance assured by the World Bank".
He said "a direct consequence of global warming is rising sea level which certainly leads to erosion of coastal areas and sea intrusion," showing concerns that the situation in deltaic areas is more worrying if there is no flow of water from the river. Replying to a question of a provincial legislator Heer Ismail Soho, he said a proposed scheme called "assessment of the environmental issues in Sindh for viable future planning and remedial measures" which costs Rs 28 million but the World Bank has not yet provided the funds to execute the project.
He said Sindh Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring various industries with a view to check the compliance of environmental laws, however, the federal government's Commerce and Environment Ministries control the import and distribution of the hazardous chemicals.
He added that the government has allowed those industries dealing in such businesses to procure chemicals, which the Sindh EPA monitors. He added that during the period January 2009 to July 2010, there has been no industry found to be using the banned chemicals, while responding to a query of Humera Alwani. Sardar Ahmed said the provincial government's regular monitoring of sugar mills in the province "most" of the mills have developed systems for treatment of liquid and waste water through lagoons and other chemical processes. However, he acknowledged there is still a violation of some parameters due to which harmful effluent is released into the environment.
"Nearly, all 32 major sugar mills in Sindh are monitored and action under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 was initiated against them," he pointed out, saying cases of the import and distribution of the hazardous chemicals against four mills have been filed before the Environment Protection Tribunal.
Later, the House approved the extension of the date of presentation report of the standing committee on law, parliamentary affairs and human rights on following government bills: The Sindh Ministers' salaries, allowances, and privileges (Amendment) Bill, 2008.
The Sindh Special Assistants' appointment, powers, functions, salaries, allowances, and privileges (Amendment) Bill, 2008. The Sindh Assembly Members' salaries, and allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2009 and The Sindh Assembly Speaker's and Deputy Speaker's salaries, allowances, and privileges (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
The committee is now bound to present the report within 13 days in the House. The House also took up a government bill No 15 of 2010 for consideration called "The Sindh Shops and Establishments (Security) Bill, 2010". The Sindh Home Minister, Manzoor Wasan urged the standing committee, which the bill was referred to present the report in maximum 10-15 days for its significance to control the bank heist in the province and other related criminal activities.
On which, Speaker Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khohro said his experience on date fixation for a report preparation by the standing committees has been bitter, asking the Minister it would be better not set a deadline. However, Wasan continued to insist on.
Sindh Information Minister, Shazia Mari, also presented a resolution to mark the Polio Day, urging the government to accomplish the unfulfilled aim of the former chairperson of PPP- late Benazir Bhutto to eradicate the diseases from the rural and urban parts of the province. She also criticised the untrained and indifferent government officers for their lack of interest in carrying out the polio eradicating drive too poorly to reach out every needed one of the province. She held such officials responsible for the resurfacing or prevailing of the lethal disease.
Nisar Khohro said a polio vaccination drive from December 19 to December 21 will continue in the province and asked the provincial legislators to take part in the cause to help the campaign succeed in reaching out effectively every nook and cranny of the province. Syed Sardar Ahmed said with a view to uproot the polio disease, the government should empower its minister to play an all-out role in this regard. He observed the ministers are not free to act at their own for weak bureaucratic support.