- Industrial Area at I-9, I-10 causing health hazards to residents
ISLAMABAD
APP
The Industrial Area at sectors I-9 and I-10 is causing health hazards to the residents of the surrounding residential areas who have become prey to a number of respiratory diseases.
The residents frequently complained about diseases like chest congestion and asthma, which are directly linked to air pollution.
The steel and marble industry is a big source of pollution as it uses low -quality scrap as a raw material which releases a huge number of harmful particles into the air.
Kamran Hanif, a resident of I-9 sector, said it was becoming difficult day by day to live in such environmental conditions as the residents were frequently being affected by different types of diseases.
It is pertinent to mention that the elimination of the buffer zone between the industrial and residential areas in sectors I-9 and I-10 has also increased the risk of health hazards for the residents.
The Islamabad’s master plan was prepared by a Greek firm – Doxiadis Associates – in 1960 the Industrial Area (sectors I-9 and I-10) was isolated from residential areas through a buffer zone. But now residential areas have developed very close to it due to the buffer zone’s elimination.
Out of the seven steel melting units, only a few managed to acquire the anti-pollution equipment, which have now become partially non-operational due to lack of proper maintenance and other problems.
Ashraf Khan, a worker said the industrial area, no doubt, was a source of disseminating diseases and urged the authorities to shift them away from the residential areas.
“All the precautionary and safety measures are adopted to avoid emission of harmful gases and other hazardous material from the factory,” said a steel factory owner. He said even measures were taken to keep the workers save from the harmful effects of these emissions.
When contacted, a CDA official said that the authority was pursuing industrialists to use treatment plants to filter hazardous smoke emissions.
The official agreed that the residents of the sectors close to the industrial area were suffering from air pollution.