MULTAN, Jan 23: The City District Government of Multan (CDGM) has failed to shift tanneries from the residential areas of the city even after the lapse of its deadline of Dec 30, 2007.

Tanneries create hygienic problems for residential areas along Humayun Road, Nawabpur Road, Khanewal Road and Water Works Road to the Industrial State.

Former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi, during his tenure, announced Rs1 million for shifting each tannery from the residential areas to the Industrial State and Rs250 millions were released for the purpose. The CDGM announced that it would complete the task by Dec 30, 2007.

Despite availability of the funds, the CGDM could shift only six out of 25 tanneries to the industrial state.

Khwaja Muhammad Shoaib, of Water Works Road, said the attitude of the CGDM regarding the shifting of tanneries showed it was least concerned about public healthcare. He said tanneries had polluted the underground water.

He said that layers of salt turned roads pale and its dust caused respiratory diseases among the residents.

Another resident, Imran Rasool, said that tannery owners washed the hides outside their units and had occupied roadsides. Now, a cinema on Wood Works Road was also being used for washing the hides as well, he said.

Muhammad Arshad, a shopkeeper at Khanewal Road, said the dust carrying parts of hides, odour of chemicals and hides had affected the health of children, women, elderly people.

Dr Zubair Shaheen, chest specialist, said that salty dust caused allergy in small veins of the respiratory system. He said these chemicals not only mixed up in air but also polluted underground and irrigation water.

Mian Faisal Mukhtar, city district nazim, was not available for comment. — Shakeel Ahmad