July 28, 2008	Monday	Rajab 24, 1429

GUJRANWALA, July 27: Unplanned industrialisation and housing and inefficiencies of various government departments have added to environmental pollution in Gujranwala, a Dawn survey has found. As a result, the number of people visiting the district hospital has increased by 100 per cent.

The survey shows that Gujranwala’s water, soil and air are being polluted without any check. Medical laboratories say that 80 per cent of the people coming there for tests are being diagnosed with hepatitis. Gujranwala’s air has hazardous nitrogen oxides and particulates much higher than the limits recommended by the World Health Organisation.

The presence of sulphur oxide and carbon monoxide is touching the limits.

Of the 20 drinking water samples taken by the department from different areas of the city, all were found unfit for human consumption.

Twelve of them were deficient in calcium, 14 were deficient in magnesium, chloride and nitrate and a few had the higher ratio of hazardous total dissolved solid and selenium.

According to Soil and

Water Testing Research Laboratory, 11 of the 20 underground water samples (for irrigation) were found unfit because they had excessive sodium absorption ratio and residual sodium bicarbonates, while 35 per cent of the land had the Ph value (alkalinity) of more than 8.50, which has degraded the soil.

Agriculture chemist Mumtaz Ahmed says the soil of the district is deficient in basic micro nutrients nitrogen, potash and phosphorous by 90 per cent, 30 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively. As a result, the growth of plants is slow.

As Wasa has not constructed separate drains to dispose of industrial wastes, more than 16,000 industries are disposing of their wastes into sewerage lines that finally fall in Noorpur Canal.

Similarly, the wastes of Kot Mughlan, Changi, Kallaer Abadi and Faqeerpura localities are being thrown directly into Upper Chenab Canal. As a result, water contamination has gone deep down to 350 feet.

To add to the city‘s pollution, industrial units and hospitals have no waste treatment plants and incinerators, 90 per cent of the 10,000 cottage industry units are working without chimneys and polythene bags having a thickness less than the minimum allowed are being used in routine.

Fitness of vehicles is necessary to check the environmental pollution, but the motor vehicle examiners have no equipment to check the fitness of vehicles.

As a result, 100 decibels noise has been recorded in Gujranwala that is much higher than the maximum admissible limit of 85 decibels.

Except GT Road, all roads are broken and dust storms cover the localities along these roads all the time. Almost 300,000 vehicles pollute the city everyday.

Dr Syed Zahid Hussain, who is serving at the District Headquarters Hospital, says the pollution has decreased the average age from 65 to 50 years and caused 100 per cent increase in the number of people suffering from hepatitis and respiratory diseases over the last three years.

He says the number outdoor patients visiting DHQ hospital had increased from 10,000 to 20,000 per month.

Compared to other departments of the district, the Environment Protection Department is receiving minimum funds from the Punjab government and nothing from the district government.

Like many others, the Forest Department is also not playing is role in checking the pollution. The department has planted on average 77 trees per kilometre along roads, 30 trees per kilometre along canals and 31 trees per kilometre along railway tracks.

This number is much less than the recommended number of at least 500 trees per kilometre.

Wasa, Solid Waste Management and Forest departments have shortage of resources, staff and funds to blame.

District Officer for Environment Ubaidullah Khan says the non-cooperation of the Highways, Solid Waste Management, Wasa, Gujranwala Development Authority and the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shortage of funds and political pressure are some of the key hurdles in the way of environment protection.

He claims that the repair of roads alone could bring down the pollution by 80 per cent.