Smoke-spewing factories add to capital pollution

Total of 185 industrial units present in area including 35 steel units

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has admitted that industrial steel units are a major source of pollution in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the city which is otherwise considered one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world.

According to the Ministry of Climate Change, a total of 185 industrial units have been identified in I-9, I-10 and Kahuta Industrial Triangle including 35 steel units.

‘Major source of air pollution in ICT are steel units which are being regularly monitored by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA),” stated the ministry in the Senate in response to a question asked by a senator.

Senator Mian Ateeq Shaikh had inquired from the ministry whether the number of factories emitting smoke is increasing day by day and what action has been taken so far against them.

In response to this question the Ministry of Climate Change informed the Senate in one of its previous sittings that monitoring team specifically monitors steel furnace and steel re-rolling mills which are functioning in violation of National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) and have not installed air pollution control devises.



According to the ministry 19 steel units in areas like I-9 and I-10 and Kahuta Industrial Triangle were inspected from July 3rd to July 5, 2018 to check the status of environmental compliance and advised to strictly comply with NEQS.  Moreover, the Supreme Court of Pakistan in its order in August this year in a human rights case had expressed dissatisfaction with regard to environmental pollution issue in the capital territory.

In its order it stated that factory owners are not sufficiently equipped to control and monitor the pollutants/emission from their factory to the satisfaction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“We have granted numerous opportunities to the factory owners to update the standards set by EPA. However, the needful has not been done so far.

Therefore, we direct all the factory owners to deposit a sum of Rs50 lakh each to the registrar of this court by August 30, 2018, otherwise till the time effective pollution/emission control system are installed their factories shall remain closed,” the apex court had maintained.