CHINIOT A sugar mills' solid waste being dumped in the forest land of Chak Bahadur Sarkar on Sargodha-Chiniot Road has turned dozens of acres barren besides creating environmental hazards for the public, fauna, flora and wildlife, Dawn has learnt.
The practice is going on for the last one decade without any action from the Forest Department and Environment Department. The Safina Sugar Mills has been dumping tons of black grinded solid particles and the residue of sugar canes soiled with chemicals illegally.
The solid waste has made the fertile land barren. Also, the waste is causing respiratory diseases besides causing an overpowering stench that has made the life of people of nearby areas hell.
Dr Khushnud Ali, casualty medical officer of the Chiniot District Headquarters hospital, told Dawn storms carrying the particles of the waste had increased respiratory and lungs related diseases in the area.
He said people were also suffering from bronchial asthma and eye infection because of the direct contact with the chemically soiled waste.
Dawn also learnt the mill management paid a nominal fine to the Forest Department to get away from legal action.
Haroon Malik, an environmental activist, said that because of the presence of the waste, a children's park located in the forest had become a no-go area. He said he had made a plan to make the forest land fertile under a public-private partnership scheme. Safina Sugar Mills Admin Officer Maj Riaz (retired) said all the waste was being dumped in the mill's own 170 acres.
Environment District Officer Mian M Nawaz said he had received several complaints about the pollution caused by the waste.
He said the department would send waste samples to the laboratory for test and action would be taken against the mill if the test proved that National Environment Quality Standards were being violated.
Riaz Sial of the Forest Department said the department had fined the mills for using the forest as a landfill site. About the drying trees and barren land, he said lack of sources to irrigate the land had turned the land barren.
