'Factories should install in-house effluent treatment plants'

All industries releasing wastewater should install in-house treatment plants without any further delay, said Sindh government spokesperson and adviser to Sindh CM on law, environment, climate change and coastal development Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday.

He said this after inaugurating a wastewater treatment plant installed by a textile mill in Bin Qasim Town to neutralise the toxic effects of effluents before they are released into a water body.

Appreciating the initiative, Wahab said, "From now onwards, wastewater from another factory will be treated before it is released in the sea via the Malir River." He added, "But it will make little difference in reducing pollution, particularly marine pollution, and hence, all industries need to install in-house wastewater treatment plants without any further delay."

He further stated that compliance with environmental laws, particularly in connection with air and water pollution control, would help improve the image of Pakistan's manufacturers' globally and consequently, demand for their products would rise. This will boost the country's exports, increase foreign exchange reserves and bring in more profit for industries, he explained.

Wahab warned that industries releasing wastewater into water bodies without treating it first would be dealt with in accordance with relevant clauses of the Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014. In this regard, he added, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has increased the monitoring so that acts causing harm to the environment can be prevented.

He pointed out that as per the directives of the Water Commission, which was constituted on the Supreme Court's orders, every wastewater generating factory was bound to treat effluents before releasing them into any water body.

To implement these directives, the SEPA would ensure the installation of treatment plants at all effluent-generating industries so that industrial growth may continue without harming the environment.