Citizens continue to suffer amid the conflict between the Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the industrialists over the construction of sewage treatment plants.
The spokesperson of the All Karachi Industries Association, Jawed Bilwani said that industrialists in Karachi will shut down their industries in the city and eventually move them abroad if the environmental watchdog does not stop the action against them.
In the last month-and-a-half, SEPA shut down 30 industries and issued notices to 300 others for lack of treatment plants and releasing untreated effluent and wastewater directly into the Lyari River.
Bilwani said that their investment will be wasted if industrialists install effluent treatment plant themselves, which are costly and require a lot of space and later the Sindh government begins construction of four Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in SITE, Korangi, North Karachi and the Super Highway.
He said the PC-1 was prepared at the start of 2016 at a cost of Rs11 billion.
Bilwani said it is better for the government to install these plants on their own or at least inform industrialists whether they plan to do it or not.
According to National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) president Muhammad Naeem Qureshi, the citizens are suffering due to the negligence of both industrialists and the Sindh government.
He added that the government should either announce the construction of their own treatment plant or else direct industrialists to install their own.
What SEPA is doing is just saving itself from the Supreme Court so that during the course of the hearing it will be able to show its performance, he claimed.
SEPA’s director-general said that a few industrialists are ready to install effluent treatment plants but those who are not willing have to come under the law.
He added whatever action SEPA has taken is according to the powers conferred to it under Section 21 of the Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014.
Talking about the CETPs, he said the government will work on its end but there is a major responsibility on the industrialists as well. He informed the CETP construction is in process.
According to Karachi Water and Sewerage Board official Saleem Siddiqui the reason why Sindh government is taking too long for construction of the plant is because there are some delays from the federal government.
On the other hand, industries secretary Abdul Raheem Soomro said the project is supposed to be initiated on a 50/50 basis as its cost is going to be shared by Sindh and federal governments.
He added that the project is supposed to be completed in three years but the federal government is causing delay.
