KARAK: Nashpa block residents have complained that poisonous gases emitting from the oil and gas dehydration plant located along the Indus Highway are causing skin and throat diseases among the people, and called for massive tree plantation in the villages to control pollution.

Talking to Dawn here on Friday, office bearers of the committee of 18 villages in the Nashpa block, including Malik Azizur Rehman Khattak, ZarJan Khan and Sher Bahader said according to international laws plantation should be made in 40 kilometer area to neutralise the dangerous effects of the burning gases.

They also demanded that steps should also be taken for protection of the environment and wildlife in the areas.

“Water ponds should be constructed for wildlife in hilly areas of Nashpa, where oil and gas companies are working,” they said.

The committee office bearers also complained that the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited was giving nothing to local people in shape of welfare projects in return for extracting oil and gas from their soil.

They informed that the exploration work had affected water table as a result local people were facing acute shortage of drinking water.

They claimed that the OGDCL had given 50 pressure pumps to people to resolve drinking water problem, but the company’s regional coordinator made payment to contractor on already installed pressure pumps of the provincial government.

They demanded transfer of the regional coordinator of OGDCL, also asking the company to launch welfare projects in the villages.

The elders suggested that the gas burnt in the dehydration plants could be utilised for production of electricity to meet electricity shortages.

The local people warned that if the OGDCL didn’t take measures to resolve problems of the people then they would launch a protest movement against it.