PESHAWAR, Nov 10: The NWFP Environmental Protection Agency has sent cases against nine industrial units in the provincial capital to the environmental tribunal in Lahore for legal action against discharge of hazardous effluents.

Officials said the owners of the units, who had been issued charge sheets, had failed to comply with the National Environmental Quality Standards and they had been accused of environmental offences.

The agency, they said, had moved the tribunal for the first time since the law was enacted against discharge of hazardous substances.

The units manufacturing marble, paper products and matches are located in the Hayatabad industrial estate and on the Warsak Road.

An official told Dawn on Monday that notices had been issued under Section 16 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act to the owners of the units, asking them to adopt measures to minimize the level  of hazardous substances discharge.

Officials said the provincial government had allocated Rs25 million in the current annual development programme for 10 projects to combat pollution in the city.

Under a plan, they said, technical assistance would be provided to the owners of stone crushers, marble factories and other industrial units in this regard.