CM approves Rs63.781m for Kotri's effluent treatment plant completion

Shah directs authorities to complete installation of five treatment plants in Karachi

KARACHI: Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has approved Rs63.781 million for completion of Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), Kotri, while presiding over a meeting at CM House regarding treatment of effluent on Tuesday.

The CM directed the industries department to conduct census of the industrial units working in the city, so that implementation of environmental rules could be ensured. The meeting was attended by Planning and Development Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Environment Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani, Planning and Development Board Chairperson Muhammad Waseem, Sindh Advocate-General Zameer Ghumro, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Industries Secretary Abdul Raheem Soomro, Environment Secretary Baqaullah Unar and others.

Industries secretary informed the meeting that on the orders of the Supreme Court (SC), the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) Ltd has taken over the CETP, Kotri from the contractor. The SITE is carrying out the remaining work at the plant to make it functional, Soomro added. The CM approved the plant's cost of Rs63.781 million.



The Industries secretary further informed the meeting that 1,700 notices and subsequent reminders have been issued to various industries in compliance with the SC orders. About 50 units have responded and necessary action will be taken against those who fail to respond, he added.

Replying to a question about CETPs, the secretary said that five CETPs have been planned in Karachi at the cost of Rs11.39 billion. The plant at SITE area will cover 25 acres of land and will have the capacity to discharge 19 millions of gallons per day (MGD). The estimate cost for the plant is Rs2.24 billion.

Trans-Lyari CETP is planned to have a capacity of 27 MGD. It will be built on 35-acre at the cost of Rs3.67 billion. The Federal B Area/North Karachi CETP will have the capacity to discharge 12 MGD while it will be built on seven acres of land at the cost of Rs1.59 billion.



Similarly, the CETP in Landhi/Korangi will have 26 MGD capacity and it will be established over 35 acres, at a cost of around Rs3.26 billion. The last CETP will be installed at Highway SITE Phase-2, which will cover 10.45 acres and will have the capacity of 10 MGD. The cost of the plant has been estimated at Rs627 million.

Briefing the CM, Planning and Development Board chairperson said that five CETPs will help in implementing the policy on pollution abetment and provide cost-effective pollution treatment for industrial units.

Environment minister informed the meeting that Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has been functioning effectively and so far it has generated 37 reports on water quality. The minister added that actions have been initiated on the basis of the test reports. Ten more district offices of Sepa are to be established for which funds are required, the minister told the CM, on which Shah issued directives to release Rs100 million for the purpose.



Environment secretary, Unar, informed the meeting that 25 cases have been submitted before Sindh Environmental Tribunal. He added that 35 industrial units have been directed to establish in-house waste water treatment plants and prepare environmental management plans.

Unar further disclosed that 125 industrial units have established their waste water treatment plants.  He added that the leather industries at Kotri and Korangi have installed 100 waste treatment plants, which are working properly.

The CM said there were reports of dust emission in the industrial areas of the city. On this Malkani said that some 62 units have been issued notices for that and action is being taken. He added that Sepa has collected penalties to the tune of Rs2.2 million from 11 different industrial units for violation of rules.