Crackdown on units polluting groundwater

Tag : Industrial Switchgears


LAHORE

MAJORITY of industries situated on Multan Road are contaminatingthe groundwater by discharging their toxic wastewater in the groundas well as irrigation channels.

The fact was revealed after the District Coordination Officervisited the area of Mohalanwal on June 15, 2008 from where the CDGLcollected four water samples out of which three were found highlycontaminated with both chemicals and biological ingredients.

Sources said that after the horrifying results of the watersamples, the DCO directed the CDGLs Environment department toinitiate a massive crackdown against the industries involved inpolluting groundwater.

The CDGLs Environment department kicked off the crackdown on June16, 2008 and until June 19, 2008, the department checked over 34industrial units.

During the checking, majority of the industries includingmultinationals were found polluting the groundwater reserves bydirect injection of toxic wastewater or by discharging thehazardous chemicals and sewer water in nearby irrigation channels.

The list of industries checked and action taken against them by theDistrict Officer (Environment) is as under:

Venus Pharma was discharging untreated wastewater into theirrigation channel and the CDGL confiscated the mobile suction pumpof the industry and disconnected wastewater outlets.

JEI Switchgears (Pvt) Ltd was issued a show-cause notice fordischarging wastewater of phosphiting process into the publicsewer. Naveed Brothers (Textile & Peter Engine) was also issued ashow-cause notice for discharging their oily waste into on openland.

Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd was also among the industriespolluting the groundwater as it was directly injecting itsuntreated wastewater in the ground. The CDGL issued a show-causenotice to the Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan for this violation.

Associates Technology (Pvt) Ltd was discharging untreatedwastewater from de-rusting, degreasing and galvanizing into anearby graveyard and open land. The CDGL staff sealed theirgalvanizing section.

FMC United (Pvt) Ltd was injecting its untreated wastewater fromlaundry, washrooms and spillage into the aquifer and the CDGLsealed its laundry and main power supply section.

Star Laboratories (Human & Veterinary Medicine) was served ashow-cause notice for discharging its untreated wastewater intopublic sewer and subsoil water. The soakage pits and wells of theindustry were also demolished by the CDGL staff.

Usman Fabrics was discharging its untreated wastewater into theirrigation channel and also injecting harmful liquids in thegroundwater directly. The CDGL removed its mobile suction pump andturbine besides disconnecting its water outlets. Shehla TubasumFabrics was also discharging its untreated hazardous wastewaterinto the nearby irrigation channel besides injecting the wastewaterdirectly in the ground.

The CDGL confiscated two turbine pumps of the industry and alsodisconnected its water outlet channels.

PA Fabrics, Rehan Gulzar Fabrics, Anwer & Sons, IU Services (Pvt)Ltd, Neha Knit (Pvt) Ltd, Chuadry Fabrics, MN Fabrics, FabricKnitwear and Subhan Fabrics were also discharging their untreatedwaste water into the irrigation channel besides injecting theirhazardous chemical waste directly in the ground. The CDGLconfiscated their turbines and disconnected their water outlets.Naveed Agencies (Waiving unit), Scottish Knitwear, Cake Walk (Pvt)Ltd, Ayesha Woollen Mills, Remington Pharmaceutical (Pvt) Ltd, BKTextile and Kyber Petroleum and CNG Services were discharging theiruntreated wastewater into the irrigation channel and also injectingthe harmful liquids in the groundwater directly.

The CDGL removed their turbines and disconnected their wateroutlets. The CDGL also issued a show-cause notice to KyberPetroleum and CNG Services.

The CDGL team confiscated three turbine pumps of StandardFabrics/Ferdous Industry for discharging wastewater into the LahoreCanal as well as injecting into the groundwater. The team alsodisconnected all water outlets of the industry.

Famous Knitwear was also discharging its hazardous wastewater inthe Lahore Canal and the CDGL sealed centrifuge pump, confiscated aturbine and disconnected water outlets of the industry. FamousKnitwear was also injecting wastewater in the ground water. QureshiTowel was also discharging its untreated wastewater in Lahore Canalbesides injecting it in the ground directly. The CDGL sealed itsdying section, confiscated a turbine and disconnected wateroutlets.

Hino Pak Motors, Ad Master, Hamid Bhai & Brothers, Hino Lahore(Pvt) Ltd and Pharmadic (Pvt) Ltd were also polluting thegroundwater by discharging their wastewater in nearby irrigationchannels and also in groundwater. The CDGL confiscated theirturbines and peter engines and also disconnected their wateroutlets.

Sources said following the aggressive campaign of the CDGL, a40-member delegation of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI) met the DCO on Friday and requested him to stop the ongoingcrackdown.

The sources said the DCO refused to stop the operation as well asto return the sealed and confiscated equipment of the industriespolluting groundwater.

He offered the industrialists of Multan Road of financial help forconstructing a common and separate drain for industries and askedthem to submit a proposal under the CDGLs Citizen Community Boardprogramme.

The DCO also directed the industrialists for submittingundertakings that they would not pollute groundwater in future.

Meanwhile, the DCO also constituted a three-member committeecomprising DO (Environment) and one representative each from LCCIand Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate all theindustries in the provincial metropolis regarding safe disposal ofwastewater.

The committee will visit every factory to check any irregularity.He also directed the industries, which are disposing off theirtoxic wastewater in irrigation channels and groundwater to submit aplan regarding safe disposal of their wastewater.