Treatment plants: KCCI offers to play role of mediator

Decision comes in light of tensions between SEPA, Karachi’s industrialists

KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Shamim Ahmed Firpo said on Friday that the organisation is willing to delve into the matter of establishing effluent treatment plants in the city’s factories.

The decision came in the wake of tension between the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the city’s industrialists on the issue of treatment facilities.

SEPA had sent notices to dozens of industrial units in Karachi’s seven industrial estates, warning them that their operations would be shut down in case separate waste treatment plants are not found, among other violations of provincial environmental laws.

Due to this, the situation between both parties exacerbated and subsequently led to National Forum of Environment and Health (NFEH) President Naeem Qureshi meeting with Firpo at his office to defuse the deadlock.

In response, the KCCI president offered they would mediate between both parties. “We would soon host a meeting where assistance and patronage of the government would be formally sought to resolve the issue concerning feared closure of a number of industries in the city due to environmental concerns,” he said.

He added that the closure of industrial units would serve no purpose and would not be helpful for the cause of environmental protection in the long term. “Abrupt termination of industrial units, while deeming their operations hazardous for the environment, would cause serious panic and anxiety among industrialists and businessmen as they would also be compelled to shut down their respective industries.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2017.

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