KARACHI, Aug 1: The city government has failed to contain environmental pollution in Karachi, while the increasing rate of pollution may lead to any dreadful situation.

This has been stated in the quarterly report of the Environmental Committee of the City Council. The report draws the attention of higher authorities of the city government towards an alarming situation of pollution in the city.

The report compiled by the environmental committee, headed by Ms Mehrun Nissa Baloch, states that all recommendations made by this committee or other previous committees to take steps for reduction in environmental pollution had been put aside and no action had been taken to implement the recommendations of such committees.

The report highlights the environmental problems being faced by the city, for which it holds the city government responsible. The report criticizes the city government for not implementing a resolution of the city council to ban polythene bags in the city that has resulted in the blockage of rainwater for which the city government has spent million of rupees, besides causing immense hardships to people.

It denounces the inability of the city government to apprehend those, who are involved in the supply of substandard meat. Moreover, it says that tallow of dead animals is being sold in market, which was not only posing health hazards, but also causing environmental pollution due to smoke and smell when it is cooked.

Another major factor of the increasing pollution is factories, located in different parts of city, which have no system for disposing of waste. Toxic waste released by these units is also causing contamination of water, it further says.

People living in Landhi, Orangi, Awami Colony and Burmi Colony are badly affected by pollution caused by smoke and toxic waste released by leather factories and other units located in these areas.

Transport is yet another factor of polluting the environment. Due to pressure horns, smoke-emissions and noise of improperly fitted engines people suffer the most, and fall prey to diseases.

The report mentions that no steps have been taken to reduce the noise caused by rickshaws by installing silencers as announced one year before.

The committee expresses concern over open sale of Pan, gutka and betel-nuts, which were the major contributor towards throat and mouth cancer. It maintains that use of these items was not only playing havoc with the lives of people, but also giving an ugly look to public places.

It criticizes the inability of the city government to implement the ban on these hazardous and stressed that immediate action be taken in this regard.

Fake mineral water companies are playing with the lives of citizens and substandard mineral water is being sold in the city, but the government is turning a blind eye to this sensitive issue, the report adds.

The committee has recommended that public filter plants should be installed in various parts of the city, which would provide purified water to citizens on the one hand and would be a source of income for the city government on other.—PPI