HARIPUR, March 14: The laws meant to protect the ecosystemhave miserably failed to check environment-related crimes being committed by the Hattar-based industrialists with impunity.

The people of the area suffer at the hands of these entrepreneurs who enjoy both power and pelf and were least bothered about damages done to life and environment.

Syed Ibrar Shah of Rural Development Project, Qamar Hayat of Omar Asghar Khan Foundation and Sajid Rehman Khan expressed these views at a news conference here on Friday evening.

These social activists from the pollution-hit villages of Dingi, Hattar, Daidan and other small localities of the NWFP and Punjab also announced the launch of an Environment Protection Committee (EPC) on this occasion.

Speaking to newsmen, Sajid Rehman, the Coordinator of EPC, said that over 250 industrial units of Hattar Industrial Estate (HIE), which also included a number of fibres, chemical, textile, marble and ghee-manufacturing concerns had been dropping out toxic effluent in the open streams, namely Dotali and Jhar.

Carrying this highly odorous and chemical ridden waste, these streams travel through several thickly-populated villages of NWFP and Punjab. Mr Rehman said that inhabitants of these affected villages were condemned to inhale toxic and highly health hazardous air and drink contaminated water from wells situated close to the these brooks.

Because of which, he said, the incidents of contracting deadly diseases like kidney, lungs skin and brain cancer, throat related diseases, stomach disorders, among the locals had been on the rise for the last few years.