PESHAWAR: The practice of gold processing, refining and polishing by burning it in acid, continues in the bullion market of Peshawar, posing serious health hazards to the populace of Ander Sher in the interior of the city.
A pall of chemical filled smoke envelops the highly congested and densely populated Sarafa Bazar –the bullion market – and its adjoining areas because of the gold being processed by hundreds of refiners and polishers.
Ignorant of the dangers, the refiners and the polishers are seriously damaging their health, as well as the health of thousands of people dwelling or doing business in the busy Bazar.
There are around 600 to 700 gold refiners and polishers in the market engaged in the practice of processing gold by burning it in nitric and sulfuric acids,” said Abdur Rehman, a goldsmith.
Abdur Rehman, who is 26 years old, used to be a gold processor but after developing breathing problems at such a young age, decided to abandon the practice.
Almost all the refiners and polishers are facing health problems, but they are compelled to continue the practice for economic gains, he repented.
“I have raised this issue in the district assembly, but no practical step has been taken so far,” said Ander Sher Union Council Nazim Sher Farzand.
He also alleged that whenever the officials of the town administration or some other concerned department visited the market for checking, the traders of the market bribed them to manipulate the report.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Director General (DG) Dr Muhammad Bashir showed ignorance over the issue.
When he was reminded about the government’s plan of relocating the refiners to some open place, the DG said that there were many plans for the relocation of carpet weavers, gold processors and other types of polluters, but this needed practical steps from the concerned departments.
EPA cannot take such a huge step without the cooperation of the people involved in this business and the concerned departments, he added.
