KARACHI, Feb 23: The Sindh Adviser on Environment, Alternate Energy and Information Technology, Mohammad Noman Saigal, has emphasized to focus on priorities and go ahead with practical agenda in a systematic way to effectively address environment concerns.

He was speaking at a priority setting consultation and workshop regarding persistent organic pollutants (POPs) here on Thursday.

The programme was organized by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency and United Development Programme (UNDP-Pakistan). It was attended by dozens of people representing various private and public sector organizations engaged in protection and up gradation of the environment.

The adviser said that we should start with air and water pollution which had a direct impact on public health. That is why the government has environmental awareness as its priority item, he said.

He said that the POPs should not be taken for granted and the government was doing its best to address the issue.

Mr Saigol said that for the first time in Pakistan’s history a large-scale campaign was launched in the city to test vehicles on roads to determine their status regarding smoke emission. Many vehicles irrespective of social status and influence of their owners were fined.

He said that samples of potable water were also taken at random from the city and other areas of the province for laboratory tests which proved that 30 per cent of water had excess chlorine due to technical reasons. Excessive amount of chlorine creates various health problems, he said.

The adviser said that the Sindh government had initiated monitoring of pesticides to ensure their quality and proper use.

He said that besides involving the civic society in this national task of environmental protection, we should move with clear agenda and create situations wherein international institutions were encouraged to extend professional and financial assistance to us in achieving the objectives.

He stressed the need for precautions regarding environmental risks and health issues like bird flu.

He regretted that there was no officially declared landfill site in the city and informed that the Sindh environment department would soon mark the landfill sites for the municipal solid waste.

Mr Saigol said his ministry had already banned the manufacturing and use of polythene bags in the province and the Sindh governor had also issued an ordinance in this regard.

He also informed that an industrial waste treatment plant worth Rs500 million was near completion and the governor was scheduled to inaugurate the plant in the next couple of months. More treatment plants would be set up in various industrial zones of the province, he added.

There were more than 10,000 industrial units in Sindh which called for strong monitoring system by the government and awareness campaigns to make the industrialists realize their responsibilities towards the society.

Sindh Environment Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Diwan, senior special fellow UNITAR, Dr John Haines, and National Project Manager UNDP-Pakistan, Syed Zaher Ahmed Gillani, SEPA Director Dr Iqbal Saeed, also spoke.—APP