KARACHI: Industries in the seven industrial estates of the city have threatened to go on strike if the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) does not withdraw notices issued to industrial units for compliance with the Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014.

The heads of these industrial estates, at a joint press conference held at the PHMA House on Thursday, demanded setting up combined effluent treatment plants and urged the federal government to give a matching grant for the propose.

The industrialists said that most of the industries in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, were set up before 2014 when the Sindh Environmental Protection Act was enacted, therefore there was no question of setting up of these plants on an individual basis.

They further said that since the Sindh government had already allocated funds in the budget 2016-17 for environmental protection and waste water management, therefore, the federal government should also contribute its share to the cost of effluent treatment plans.

They said that already, the Sindh government had earmarked land for setting up five combined effluent treatment plants in the city’s industrial areas and one such plant was set up 15 years ago in SITE and could be again made operational after it was upgraded with new technology.

They claimed they had been issued the Sepa notices in violation of the Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014, which demanded that before issuing such notices a council having proper representation of industry be set up.

The council is the competent authority to form environmental protection standards in the province they said, and argued that since the council had not been formed, Sepa could not unilaterally issue notices to industries.

A consultant had submitted PC-I to the Sindh government in March 2016 and indicated a cost Rs11.390 billion for the installation of five combined effluent treatment plants in the city’s industrial areas, but no progress had been made on it, they complained.

The heads of all Karachi town associations of trade and industry included the SITE Association of Trade and Industry, North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry, Federal B Area Trade and Industry Association, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, Landhi Association of Trade and Industry, Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry and SITE Superhighway Association of Industry.

Mohammad Jawed Bilwani, the convener of the joint action committee, unveiling the action plan said that consultative meetings would be held in each of the town and industrial associations and if their demand for the withdrawal of Sepa notices was not met, the city’s entire industry would go on strike and shut down their units.

He admitted that environmental protection was not only a legal requirement on the part of Sepa, but it was also demanded by world buyers from their suppliers. Therefore, it was in our own interest that industries have combined treatment plants.

Later, the leaders of the seven industrial estates and town associations, wearing black armbands, held a token protest on the premises of the PHMA House.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017