Environmental concerns: Industrialists seek reopening of closed steel units

Argue hundreds of workers have been rendered unemployed due to closure

The local steel sector industrialists, in a meeting at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) have called upon the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) for reopening of the closed units.

They argued that closure of some steel units by the EPA had rendered hundreds of workers jobless, said a press release on Tuesday. Addressing the meeting, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh said that industrialists were ready to cooperate with the Pak-EPA for controlling pollution and ensuring compliance of its environmental standards.

He said many steel industrialists were ready to provide written confirmation to the Pak-EPA about taking measures to meet its requirements and stressed that the environmental protection agency should allow such industrialists to re-start manufacturing operations.

Sheikh said that the steel industry was playing an important role in the development of local economy as it was generating employment, making significant contribution to tax revenue and promoting economic activities, therefore, closing those industrial units on account of environment pollution issue was not an optimum solution.



He emphasised that the Pak-EPA should avoid such strong-arm tactics in the larger national interest as closing industries would discourage new investment.

ICCI president urged upon the Pak-EPA to give at least 90 days period to the existing and new steel industrial units so that they could get the required equipment installed for emissions control in order to promote a healthy environment.

The steel industrialists assured that if the Pak-EPA allowed re-opening of closed units, all the cases against it with the courts should be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2016.