KARACHI, Aug 9: The government has set up a special monitoring committee to tackle the problem of pollution caused by factories operating in old city areas.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, the adviser to the chief minister for environment and alternate energy, Noman Saigal, took a serious note of pollution reports in some parts of old city areas and called an emergency meeting of technical officers of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency.

The meeting decided to form a special monitoring committee, to be headed by SEPA Director-General Shafique Ahmed Khoso to address the issue. The adviser expressed grave concern over the pollution created by industries in residential areas and called it a cruel act against environment, ecosystem and more importantly against the people living in the affected area.

He was of the view that polluting the environment especially close to the residential areas must be checked and polluters whoever they were must be dealt with as per relevant laws.

"After functioning of environmental tribunal there is no reason of reluctance to expedite the process of environmental litigation against the polluters," he said. However, he made it clear that unnecessary harassment to any group by any party would not be tolerated at all. He directed the committee to compile a report on the issue within 15 days.

The committee comprising SEPA Deputy Director (Monitoring), Senior Scientific Officer, Assistant Director (Technical) will visit the residential areas where industries are causing pollution.

The committee will inspect the manufacturing process of such industries and conduct community-based survey to assess the impact of pollution on people and their surrounding areas. The committee will also suggest punitive action against those responsible for the violation of environmental standards.