Toxic water irrigating Peshawar’s farmlands

Lack of quorum mars assembly on 3rd day of Eid

PESHAWAR:

The issue of hazardous and toxic waters irrigating the orchards and farms around the provincial capital echoed in the provincial assembly on Monday.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly met with Deputy Speaker Mehmood Jan in the chair.

During the session, Muthaida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Rehana Ismail tabled a call-to-attention notice wherein she drew the attention of the house towards the use of contaminated water to irrigate crops in the provincial capital and its surroundings.

She cited reports, which had been compiled by different laboratories, and informed members that around 90 per cent of fruits and vegetables being grown in Peshawar or its adjoining areas were hazardous for human consumption.

Responding to this, the K-P Social Welfare Minister Dr Hasham Inamullah Khan said that such products were dangerous for everyone.

He, however, assured the house that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and the agriculture minister were looking into the matter while the agriculture department has also devised a policy to address the issue.

The minister asserted that the policy will be implemented at all costs.

Absent reply

During the session, the deputy speaker expressed his displeasure at the social welfare department for failing to submit answers to the house on questions posed by Jamat-e-Islami (JI) lawmaker Humaira Khatoon.

Jan warned that K-P chief secretary will be summoned in the assembly if the department fails to respond to the questions.

Social Welfare Minister Dr Hasham also expressed his displeasure over non-submission of answers by his department and issued a notice, expressing his anger.

The speaker directed to initiate action against officials of the department if they do not reply within two days.

He also directed the K-P Law Minister and chief secretary to work jointly on the matter. However, if the issues persist, Jan said the chief secretary will be summoned to the assembly.

Unfinished business

The provincial assembly session would not achieve its target of completing the 100 parliamentary days after the assembly session on the third day of Eidul Azha saw even more empty seats.

The situation didn’t change during the entire session, which was being held to complete the constitutionally mandated minimum number of parliamentary days.

Later, the session was prorogued due to an incomplete quorum.

As the provincial assembly met on Monday, the house is in danger of missing its constitutional obligation of completing 100-days in session.

Before Friday, the house had completed just 77 days in session during the parliamentary year. Even if the house continues its session, non-stop until August 12, it would only have completed 92 days in session, eight days shy of the required 100-days.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2020.