RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Lahore High Court’s Bahawalpur Bench has issued notices to Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited (FFCL) and United Sugar Mills (USM) over the issue of using sweet groundwater for their industrial and commercial use.

Assistant Attorney General of Pakistan Chaudhry Muhammad Ramzan Shama told Dawn that petitioner Syed Ameer Hamza, an elected councillor of Ahmedpur Lama Town of Sadiqabad (which has population of 240,000), through his counsel Advocate Masood Bajwa, stated that he filed various complaints to the authorities concerned over the excessive abuse of groundwater by these three companies where they have installed tubewells in order to extract sweet groundwater on a daily basis for industrial and commercial use.

He stated that due to aforesaid actions of the respondents the groundwater is depleting and becoming contaminated through the area and causing diseases.

The petitioner further stated that he had filed this petition in public interest in order to save, protect and preserve water for the locals.

Justice Jawad Hassan of the LHC Bahawalpur bench issued notices to the fertiliser companies, sugar mill, the deputy commissioner, the district health officer and others to file report and para-wise comments and fixed this petition at the principal seat for May 9.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2019