MULTAN, March 15: A newly-installed milk plant of a multinational company that is also providing clean drinking water on a commercial basis is discharging its wastewater in an open field, causing problems for the people of Nai Basti Allahabad in Kabirwala tehsil, Khanewal.

The Nestle Pakistan Limited had established its new milk plant a few months ago and President Pervez Musharraf is expected to inaugurate it on Friday (today).

Ironically, the company that is claiming that it has set up the largest milk plant in the country has failed to make arrangements for the disposal of its wastewater and thus flies in the face of the Supreme Court’s directive.

According to Khizar Hayat, a resident of Nai Basti Allahabad, poisoned wastewater is causing respiratory diseases among the people especially children who are living in areas within three kilometres of the plant.

He said the plant management had earlier discharged the poisoned water through a pipeline in a watercourse that used to irrigate the lands, which affected the crops. He said the company had dug up big holes on the premises of the factory and all the wastewater was collected there and later discharged into open fields by using electric motors.

Stench emitting out of the water had become a constant headache for the residents, he said, adding that when the complainants met the plant administration to register their protest, the latter replied that they did not have any magic lamp that would solve the problem. They said they had informed the higher administration about the problem and a solution would be found in due course of time.

Muhammad Shoaib, the organisation development executive of the Nestle Milk Plant (Kabirwala), said it was a highly technical issue and he could not give any comment on it.

When this correspondent asked him if he could get Admin Officer Irfan’s version, Mr Shoaib said he (Irfan) was busy in a meeting.

DO (Environment) Zafar Iqbal told Dawn that the matter was not in his knowledge, but “if it is so it is a violation of a law and the company concerned must have installed a waste water treatment plant.”

He said the government would definitely take action against the company after probing the matter.