HARIPUR: A civil society organisation working for the protection of the environment has demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency (KP-EPA) ensure compliance with environmental regulations by industries operating in the Hattar Industrial Estate.

Talking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Malik Qamar Hayat and Tariq Mehmood from Human Unity Movement, Hattar, said that for over four decades, the communities living in and around the industrial estate had raised concerns over environmental degradation caused by industrial pollution.

The discharge of untreated effluents, factory emissions, improper waste management, and contamination of water resources have severely affected local ecosystems, agricultural lands, and public health, they added.

“Particularly alarming is the concentration of three cement plants within the radius of one kilometre, which are a major source of spreading coal combustion by-products and other airborne pollutants, causing health hazards for residents of Hattar, Dingi, Shadi, Rani Wah, Kamalpur, and neighbouring villages,” said Mr Hayat.

The civil society activists said that the cumulative environmental burden is further intensified by emissions from poultry feed mills, steel industries, chemical units, and food-processing plants.

They said Article 9-A of the Constitution guaranteed every person the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Similarly, the National Climate Change Policy, 2021, required industries to adopt cleaner production technologies, minimise waste, improve energy efficiency, and strengthen environmental monitoring mechanisms, they added.

They said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Act, 2014, further prohibited industrial units from discharging effluents, emitting pollutants, or generating noise beyond the prescribed National Environmental Quality Standards.

The activists asked the KP-EPA to bind the industrial units to adopt cleaner technologies, install effective pollution-control systems, and publicly disclose environmental compliance information. They also asked the health department to conduct comprehensive health assessments and disease profiling of affected communities and ensure improved healthcare services for populations exposed to industrial pollution.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2026