KARACHI – Construction of 5 Combined Effluent Treatment Plants in Karachi should be started soon, development work should be expedited by removing obstacles in the completion of CETP project. It is not possible to set up a combined effluent treatment plant in every factory. Environmental laws need to be amended, industrialists want to implement environmental laws, but without amendments, environmental laws are difficult to implement.
This was stated by President, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Saleem-uz-Zaman, during a meeting with Environment Secretary Mohammed Aslam Ghouri at KATI. Gulzar Firoz, Danish Khan, Masood Naqi, Syed Johar Qandhari also addressed on the occasion while KATI Senior Vice President Zaki Ahmed Sharif, Vice President Nighat Awan, Syed Farukh Mazher, SM Yahya, Secretary Labor Abdul Rashid Solangi and others also participated.
President KATI Saleem-uz-Zaman said that the technical committee should be activated with the representation of the industrial zones of the city, so that a policy could be formulated in consultation with all stakeholders.
He said that the council should be activated so that it can carry out environmental issues in the best possible way. He said that institutions have to work together for the betterment of the environment. Eliminating economic and environmental problems requires scientific research that can provide solutions to the problems being faced by the society.
Environment Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghouri said that observance of environmental laws is mandatory for all. Penalties will be imposed for violating the law to reduce the number of violations. Incidents of harassment of industrialists will be taken immediate notice. The government is resolving environmental issues of the province on priority basis. “We face many challenges in terms of environmental improvement, taking steps to address the problems within our means so that we are safe from its effects,” he said.
The Environment Secretary said that full attention was being paid to the environment in the city so that the people could have better health, and we are trying to make full use of modern technology to eliminate environmental pollution. Efforts are also being made to control water and air pollution. He said that policy formulation would be implemented on priority basis to bring innovation in environmental industrial development and address issues.
Former PTA chairman Gulzar Firoz said that Industrialists are installing water treatment plants in their industries to control environmental pollution, which requires the assistance of relevant agencies.
