20000102

Hayatabad industries not

complying with NEQs: Report

PESHAWAR: The effluents of Hayatabad Industrial Estate are untreated and sizes and levels of its drain channels are not adequate to meet compliance with the National Environmental Quality standards.

This was stated in a report on 'an Environment Survey of the Hayatabad Industrial Estate' (HIE) in Peshawar.

The report said that intermittent operation of the industry located in HIE was identified as one of the barriers in estimating the real impact of industry effluents on human health and neighbouring environment.

According to the findings, the main problem with the effluents leaving the industrial estate are high levels of suspended solids. This problem can be sorted out by setting up sedimentation units in individual industries.

Apart from disposal of unproper effluent, the industrial estate of Hayatabad is also creating environmental problems for people inhabiting in the vicinity of HIE.

"HIE, what once appeared a proper site for the industrial estate in 1963, now poses a threat to the surrounding settlements and environment," commented the report.

The reports adds that there was no human settlements in the vicinity of the industrial estate in 1960. Whereas today, residential areas including Hayatabad and Afghan Colony have emerged as the main residential and commercial areas of the city of Peshawar and the people of these areas are directly exposed to the discharge of dust and dark smoke emitted by the industries located in the estates.

The report also mentioned that a number of industrial units have installed their tubewells due to inadequate supply of water from Sarhad Development Corporation (SDA) and the indiscriminate use of water through this practice is dropping the water level in the area.

"Due to excessive use of ground water the ground water table has dropped from 200 feet to 300 feet in the last few years," it said.

"A proper drainage system is an essential feature of any industrial estate and is considered to be of foremost importance in the development of an industrial estate. But, unfortunately, HIE, like any other industrial estate in Pakistan, does not quite fulfil the requirements of a well-designed drainage systems which could facilitate and justify the installation of a combined effluent treatment plant for the entire industrial estate," the report said.

It said: "The water waste drains originating from 75 percent of the industrial units are connected to a poorly maintained open drainage channel system. These drain channels join natural drains within the premises of industrial estates at four different locations. The four natural drains eventually end up in the single, combined-effluent main drain of the industrial estate and ultimately fall into river Kabul."

The reports suggests a proper revamp of drainage system of HIE. "Proper design of levels and sizes of the effluent channels needs to be considered."

It has also recommended that the individual industrial units should take the initiative to treat their mills' effluent and also should consider the possibility of setting up a combined effluent treatment facility.

"Regular tuning and cleaning of the boilers and furnaces should be done to improve the combustion efficiency. This would not only curtail the air pollution load due to stack gases but would also reduce the fuel consumption," the report said.

"Particulate emission is also one of the major concerns at Hayatabad Industrial Estate. There are a number of techniques to control the environment pollution due to particulate emission. The choice of fuel is one of the factors for controlling the particulate emissons," the report added.

Occupational health and safety is generally not given serious consideration by the industries of HIE. The management of the industries should ensure proper use of safety equipment like safety helmet, goggles, shoes, gloves and dust masks by the workers.

In addition to this signboards displaying on-job-safety slogans should be exhibited clearly and boldly at proper places in the industrial units, the report recommended.ÑAPP