The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) is perhaps awaiting a Lahore or Karachi-like fire tragedy to justify action against the illegal factories operating in the residential areas by making a mockery of all rules and regulations.
The inaction by the departments concerned of the city government against the illegal business activities was contrary to the tall claims of the Punjab government about ensuring good governance as unsafe and health-hazardous trade work was continuing in the residential areas unchecked.
Under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, no business activities could be carried out in residential colonies and the town municipal administration officer concerned was bound to ensure a healthy atmosphere for the citizens as per the ordinance.
According to a survey, around 130 illegal factories were functioning in various residential areas of the city, out of which 40 were located in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Bagh Sardaran, Old Baddar and Bangash Colony (Khayaban-e-Iqbal).
Illegal businesses had been flourising in the Khayaban-e-Sir Syed area, including recycling of plastic for shoe making, leather refining and scrap-trade, which had turned into a volcano that could trigger anytime and cause loss of human lives, if immediate action was not taken against them.
The residents of Khyaban-e-Iqbal (Old Baddar and Bangash Colony) told agencies that the illegal commercial activities in the area had made their lives difficult as they had to face the unpleasant smell of chemicals used in plastic recycling and leather refining coupled with a lot of noise pollution.
The residents, in a written complaint to the Punjab chief minister and the departments concerned, revealed their fears about the outbreak of asthma disease and occurrence of big fire incidents similar to what had recently occurred in Lahore and Karachi.
Breaking out of small fires was almost a regular feature as there was no fire-fighting system and emergency exit in these factories, they added.
Malik Asif Akbar, former junior administrator of the area, alleged that the residential area was being used for commercial purposes in connivance with the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) staff as no one could dare start their business without the authority’s backing.
He further alleged that a “monthly” payment was given to the officials by the owners of the illegal factories on a regular basis to run their business without any check and fear.
He said the main gates of such factories always remained closed to hide their illegal operations. Chemicals were stored in great quantity in the factory premises without taking any safety measures, he added.
He also said there were no adequate fire-fighting arrangements in the premises of these factories which were operating without registration with any government institution like the provincial Labor Department, Civil Defense Department or Workers Welfare Board. Thus, no inspection of these factories had ever been carried out by any relevant government agency.
Javed and Haider, the residents of houses swarmed by a bakery, shoe factories and scrap godowns, have complained that the smoke emitting from the burning of scrap, making of bakery items and recycling of plastic for shoe making entered their houses from the windows due to which their children were becoming patients of asthma and had irritable eyes.
Talking to agencies, former town member of Rawal Town Council, Shahida Shabir stressed upon the district coordination officer (DCO) to take immediate notice of the issue and clear the residential area of the “lethal business” which had become a hub for various kinds of commercial activities.
She said the unhealthy activities had polluted the environment and made the lives of the inhabitants of their surrounding areas miserable.
She also feared that dangerous diseases could break out any time due to the unhealthy activities going on day and night in the area.
The number of asthma patients had been increasing in the colony, she added.
No official of the TMA was available for comments on the issue.
However, another official, on condition of anonymity, admitted to the mushroom growth of illegal factories in these housing societies. He said the DCO had directed the departments concerned to shift the factories from the residential areas to the industrial zone and ensure appropriate safety measures and installation of fire-fighting gadgets at all the industrial units.
He rejected the impression of taking of a “monthly” payment by any TMA staffers and said that all-out efforts were being made to end the commercial activities from the residential areas.
