Committee To Set Standards For Industrial Waste Pre-treatment Plants

Murtaza Wahab, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sindh on Law, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development has announced formation of an experts' committee to set standards for industrial waste pre-treatment plants in the metropolis

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Oct, 2019 ) :Murtaza Wahab, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sindh on Law, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development has announced formation of an experts' committee to set standards for industrial waste pre-treatment plants in the metropolis.

During a meeting with the office bearers of Karachi, he said government was committed to ensuring absolute compliance of international standards related to safe disposal of industrial effluent, generated by concerned units.

Reiterating that each local industrial unit is legally required to necessarily treat the effluent, hazardous and non hazardous accordingly as well as liquid and solid, he said with a view to facilitate the process a committee is being be set up, comprising a representative from each industrial association of Karachi along with those of KWSB, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency and a few independent but certified environmental experts.

Focus of the committee was said to ensure that efficient treatment of liquid and semi-liquid effluent flown into the water bodies, mainly sea in particular context of Karachi is ensured.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab, seeking early formation of the proposed committee, said he expected its members to develop standards, within a week's time for the pre-treatment plants which will individually be installed by each industry before releasing its effluent into the Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for final treatment prior to letting it flow into the sea.

The Advisor to the Chief Minister said efforts must be expedited to initiate action for the installation of CETP with the collaboration and support of federal government and industrial associations so that the process of industrial effluent management may be completed without any unnecessary delay.

"It is equally incumbent upon the industries functional in Karachi to take swift measures ensuring treatment of their effluent before being released into the sea," he said.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab said treatment of waste through CETP, effluent treatment plant, pre-treatment plant or septic tank respectively is an individual as well as collective responsibility of every stakeholder.

"Nobody is above the law and when it means environmental law then the only way-out is to fully comply with it," he said emphasizing elimination of all categories of pollution was critically needed across the country.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI), Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI), Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI, North Karachi Association of Trade & Industry (NKATI), Landhi Association of Trade & Industry (LATI), Site Association of Trade & Industry (SITE-ATI) and Super Highway Association of Trade & Industry (SHATI).

Sindh Secretary for Environment, Climate Change & Coastal Development Department (ECC&CDD), Khan Muhammad Mahar, Managing Director of KWSB, Atharullah Khan, Director General of Sindh Environment Protection Agency, Naeem Mughal along with other senior officials of the agency including the and Assistant Director General, Waqar Phulpoto were also present on the occasion.