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| March 25, 2007 | Sunday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1428 |
Senate body for measures to check marine, air pollution
ISLAMABAD, March 24: The subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production has called for effective measures to check marine and air pollution to minimise the damaging impact on naval, air force and other defence-related assets.
The committee met at the Parliament House under its chairman, Senator Nisar A. Memon on Saturday.
The chairman directed the environment ministry to launch a sustained campaign for cleaner environment by enhancing public awareness of the issue in collaboration with the information ministry.
He recommended that a civil award be instituted as an incentive for people belonging to commerce and industry who help in keeping the environment clean and healthy at factories and industries.
The meeting directed the environment ministry to take all stakeholders like the navy, air force, Sindh government, Karachi district government, industries ministry, KPT, EPA and other departments concerned on board to evolve a comprehensive strategy.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Memon underscored the need for adopting a holistic approach to combat the issue of pollution in its totality.
He said only a comprehensive and all encompassing strategy was likely to deliver the goods. National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) be observed in letter and spirit and civil society organisations must be involved to achieve the desired results, he added.
He underlined the need for changing the mindset of the people by creating greater awareness of the issue.
Senator Memon urged people belonging to the corporate sector to come forward and supplement the efforts initiated by the government for a healthy environment.
He said the social responsibility of the industry had to be fulfilled in order to achieve the goal, adding that the government remained committed to a cleaner, greener and healthier environment.
Earlier, the meeting was informed that the major source of pollution in Karachi harbour was via Lyari River, which drained huge quantity of untreated mixture of industrial and municipal waste water into it. As a result, the Karachi harbour has become one of the most highly polluted harbours in the region.
In addition, Karachi generates more than 350 million gallons per day (MGD) of waste water having ingredients of solid and industrial waste including heavy metals which ultimately reach coastal waters through sewers, nullahs, rivers and streams.
Karachi is also producing about 8,000 tons of solid waste every day, the collection and safe disposal of which falls under the city district government of Karachi. Therefore, it was observed that checking of industrial wastes and control of pollution was a daunting challenge which must be met head on to save the environment.
The seriousness of the situation warrants that the contents of Pepa-97 be implemented in letter and spirit and on war- footing, it was recommended.
The meeting reviewed the overall situation with regard to implementation status of environmental laws and regulations.
The meeting also called for keeping the environment clean at Gwadar as the port begins its operations.
Senator Rukhsana Zuberi as member of the subcommittee, besides senior officials of ministries of environment and defence, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force attending the meeting.—APP
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