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'Quality of sub-soil water is
deteriorating'
LAHORE-The quality of the sub-soil water will deteriorate
thoroughly in Pakistan if timely measures are not taken,
warned Punjab's Secretary Environment Protection Department.
Brig. (retd) Riaz Bashir Secretary EPD was addressing a
follow-up seminar on the findings of a one year study of the
Hudiara Drain here,Tuesday.
The official said he has issued notices to all the industrial
units in Punjab to voluntarily submit their reports about the
in-house treatment and measures being taken by them to reduce
end-of the pipe pollution.
He added that treatment plants are an expensive option and
cleaner production is a much better choice. The Secretary said
that 241 tanneries of Sialkot have agreed to
re-locate their industrial units some 16 kms away from the
city and establish a combined treatment plant for the
tanneries. This project will be funded by the private
sector,he added. The official regretted that EPD like all its
counterparts in other provinces is higlhy understaffed.
He explained that the department is being re-structured and
that it is being suggested to the government to merge EPD with
other line departments such as Forest, Livestock, Fisheries,
Industries, Transport so that concerted efforts could be made
in
the favour of environmental monitoring.
The official explained that under the EPA promulgated in 1997
a Pollution Charge will be levied on the industries in
proportion to the pollution they are causing but added that a
balance has to be struck between the environmental concern and
industrial
development. The moot shared the results of a study sponosred
by UNDP and
conducted by WWF Pakistan in collaboration with EPD and Soil
Survey of Pakistan.
It was highlighted that Hudiara darin, a storm water drain
which receives untreated effluents from about 100 factories is
highly polluted,its water is unfit for irrigation and is a big
threat to the water quality of River Ravi. Hudiara Drain ,a
tributary to Ravi , bears heavy metals, high biological
contamination and wastes from human settlement.This
drain which originates from India's Gurdaspur district
contributes to about 15% of the total "pollution load" of
Ravi.Villagers who come in contact with this polluted water in
their day to day life suffer from various water borne diseases
as diarrhoea, dysentry and other abdominable problems as well
as infection of eyes and skin.The blood of these people showed
high incidence of lead which was much above the safety limits
accpeted internationally.
Director General WWF Pakistan Ali Hassan Habib,Hammad Naqi
Director EPU of WWF,Dr. Masil Khan Project Officer WWF
Pakistan,Fayaz Baqir National Coordinator UNDP,Dr.Shagufta
Shajehan from EPD,Farhan Sami Environmental Consultant also
spoke on the occasion.
November 7, 2001
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