ISLAMABAD: To protect all the water channels in Islamabad from industrial discharge, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency has surveyed 270 industries across four industrial zones and found that dozens of industries are non-compliant with environmental laws.

“Dozens of industries have come up, especially in the area of Humak, that do not have air and waste water abatement technologies. The survey is being conducted to bring such installations under the radar of Pak-EPA and ensure their owners follow environmental laws,” said Dr Zaigham Abbas who is Director Labs, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA).

PAK-EPA initiated the survey under Section 31 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.

According to the senior official, industries were categorised into groups “A,” “B,” and “C” based on the pollution levels following the classification rules of industrial units, considering both liquid effluents and gaseous emissions.

A monthly schedule with weekly monitoring was established to track and assess the discharge of effluents, he said. This monitoring process safeguards the maintenance of environmental quality. As part of this initiative, nine industries located in Sector I-10 and another nine industries located in Humak, Kahuta triangle industrial area had been closely monitored to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

He said that PAK-EPA’s proactive stance underscored its dedication to environmental protection and sustainable development. “Through initiatives like these, PAK-EPA advocates for responsible industrial practices, and ensures adherence to regulations, fostering a cleaner industrial landscape,” the official said.

Dr Zaigham Abbas said that during the survey, industry owners were asked what measures they had adopted to check and control emissions into the air and waste water discharge in channels.

There were some industries that were operating without environmental approval, especially in Humak, which was an untouched area and where industries were operating with impunity. He added that, following this survey, Pak-EPA would be able to bring such establishments under the ambit of environmental laws.

According to a senior official in the Ministry of Climate Change, many industries continued to wreck havoc with the air people breathed and polluted groundwater without any checks, and it was about time that such facilities were brought under the ambit of environmental laws.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2024