Pollution in Palai: Residents oppose cement factory in their area

Last year in November PHC took notice of the adverse impact to environment by the factory

PESHAWAR: Residents of Palai area in Malakand Division have challenged the construction of a cement factory in their area saying it will damage the natural environment and asked the court to issue stay order Section 4 imposed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government to acquire land.

Earlier this week, a two-judge bench of the PHC comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Muhammad Ayub Khan heard the petition.

However, the bench ordered to transfer the case to another bench of the PHC as Justice Qaiser belongs to Palai area and would not be in a position to hear this case.



Last year in November PHC took notice of the adverse impact to the environment by the factory while hearing a case relating to the construction of a marble city in Buner. The bench had directed the K-P government to submit the environmental impacts reports of the project; however, the lawyers of respondents objected that the high court has no authority to take suo motu, calling it ‘excess of jurisdiction.’

Now, the construction of the factory is being challenged by Amir Nawab and others, residents of Palai through Ali Gauhar Durrani Advocate who urged the court the government is constructing the factory on a vast area of 400 acres for which section 4 has been imposed in August last year. He informed the court that the area selected for the factory has peach, orange, and other fruits trees.

“Thousands of trees have to be cut down for it,” the court was told. “The area is famous for its fruits production throughout the country. The natural beauty of the area should be maintained at every cost.” He added that it would create environmental issues for the people of the area and asked the court for a stay order on the imposition of section 4.



The factory is being constructed at the cost Rs34.7  billion and the government believes the factory was being set up as per the new investment policy of the government that will generate some 5,000 jobs. The Environmental Protection Agency of the province has also told that environmental assessment report has already by been finalised on November 22, last year. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2018.