PESHAWAR: One would think that it is the coronavirus-induced lockdown that brought steel mills and foundries to a grinding halt in Jamrud, Khyber tribal district, and thus, leading to a visible improvement in air quality in the surrounding residential areas, as is the case with most cities in the country.

However, the residents say the foundries had stopped working under an administrative order two months agofollowing complaints by the residents of Phase-7 in Hayatabad Town Peshawar adjacent to Jamrud about the unbearable air pollution in the localities.

They told Dawn that steel mills and foundries in the midst of residential quarters in Shakass, Jamrud, once a barren plain, hadpolluted the air to the point of suffocation and they had no option but to seek the government’s action to stop the maddening activity.

“Air quality has visibly improved since steel mills and foundries have stopped operations,” said Dr Ikram, a resident of Phase 7.

He said steel mills and foundries in Shakass emitted thick black smoke deteriorating air quality.

Administrative order on pollution complaints led to suspension of operation two months ago

The resident said only three units were operating.

“Black smoke emitting from mills enveloped our homes and this intolerable condition forced people to bring the issue to the notice of Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra,” he said.

Air pollution has enormously dropped in the provincial capital due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Residents of Shakass said they were more exposed to air and noise pollution.

They said the steel mills and foundries put up in the middle of residential quarters emitted black smoke and that the air quality had deteriorated to its worst levels in recent years.

“The air was suffocating and the people were struggling to breathe,” said Akbar Afridi, a native of Shakass.

He said the residents felt better since steel mills suspended operation in Shakass.

Following receiving complaints the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took action against the steel mills and foundries in Shakass. A total of 11 mills and foundries were served notices, sealed or prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act, 2014 and none of the mills had proper pollution control system.

Director General EPA Dr Mohammad Bashir told Dawn that the agency’s team visited mills in Shakass and several units were prosecuted in the Environmental Protection Tribunal.

He said notices were served on the mills’ owners in Feb and March.

Dr Bashir said mills and foundries operating in Shakass area violated environmental quality standards and the agency sealed them.

“These mills were major factors behind air pollution in the surrounding residential areas and people had received relief since steel factories stopped operations,” he said.

Dr Bashir said the environmental protection officers had served notices to three units to stop all running activities until the installation of proper pollution control system within 45 days. He said cases against three mills were under trial in EPT, adding that EPA staff could not conduct follow up visits of the foundries due to lockdown.

Notices served on foundries and mills included Prime Steel Re-rolling Mill, Royal Foundry, Mustafa Foundry, Shah Steel Mills, Nawab Steel Mills, Mohmand Modeling Works, Hassan Steel Mills, Al Haj Foundry, Afridi Steel Mills, Iftikhar Steel Mills and MK Steel Mills, said an official document.

Dr Bashir said the reopening of the foundries was subject to the installation of proper pollution control system and three owners had requested to relax order for 45 days to install the system.

Sources said foundries were installed in Shakass before the merger of Fata with KP and at that time, the region came under the administrative control of the federal government. Environmental laws of the province have also been extended to merged tribal districts.

The sources said the EPA had proposed to the KP government time and again to make legislation for land zoning in the province.

“The problem is that no definition of residential area exists as there is no legal tool to stop people from converting lands into residential, commercial or industrial activities,” an official said.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2020