SIALKOT, Dec 15: The Punjab government has approved the establishment of an industrial zone for tanneries at Sialkot.

Sources said on Sunday the proposed zone would be developed on 300 acres at a cost of Rs900 million.

At present, as many as 248 tanneries of different sizes are functioning in and around Sialkot. The nine large, 79 medium and 160 small tanneries would be shifted to the new zone after completion of development work there.

The zone will eventually handle 18,1000 cubic metres waste water of tanneries daily till the year 2015.

The Punjab government will provide 75 per cent seed money in interest-free loan while the local business community will contribute the rest. The project will introduce measures for improving the degraded environmental condition caused by the concentration of tanneries in Sialkot. — Correspondent