After delaying the much awaited Rs 7,366 million for the Combined Effluent Treatment Plants project aimed at reducing the increasing environmental pollution, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led federal government has decided to share 50 percent funds for the said scheme, it is learnt.
The scheme was launched in 2009 on the president’s directives and the funding for these effluent plants were supposed to be made on 50:50 basis by the federal and the provincial governments. However, the centre had refused to fund the scheme which had delayed the process of its implementation, thus resulting in inflicting further damages on the already fragile environment situation.
Well placed sources told Pakistan Today that the establishment of four combined effluent treatment plants in the industrial areas, including Korangi Industrial Area, Landhi Industrial Area, SITE Industrial Area, Federal B Industrial Area and North Karachi Industrial Area with a cost of Rs 7,366 million, was to be completed in three years time. However, it was delayed by the centre on the pretext that the Sindh government should arrange funds for the project on its own.
In this regard, at least three locations were selected in the area of combined treatment plant-I, seven locations for the plant-II (trans-Lyari), eight for Federal B and North Karachi, while two for Korangi and Landhi industrial areas.
These points were selected to assess the sewerage flows from each industrial estate which could be collected through interceptor sewers which would in turn collect the sewage flows from the outfall points of each industrial area to be later directed towards their relevant plants. Flow measurements were also noted by taking a straight section of every main drain from each industrial area with a uniform profile marked out at each of the measuring locations. The cross sectional area of the drain was estimated by measuring the depth of flow in the centre and on either side of the drain, they said.
To determine the flow velocities, a series of surface floats were placed in the streams and its travelling time for a set distance along the streams were recorded, they said, adding that the results were used to compute the surface velocity of flow in the streams.
At present, the flow of SITE Industrial Area stood at 19MGD, SITE Trans-Lyari Industrial Area 27MGD, Federal B and North Karachi Industrial Areas 8MGD and Korangi and Landhi Industrial Areas at 26MGD, they informed. The effluent plants would be designed primarily for the removal of biochemical oxygen, chemical oxygen and suspended solids to bring these three common pollutants within the limits of National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS), they added.
Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) on behalf of all the industries lying within its jurisdiction would be fully responsible for ensuring that the combined effluents were being discharged to the disposal body by conforming to the NEQS standards, they further said.
The officials said that the basic purpose of these combined effluent treatment plants was to treat waste water before its final discharge into the receiving water-body as per the requirements of the NEQS and to avoid contamination of the soil and groundwater. The achievements of this important project would also contribute to a successful implementation of the National Conservation Strategy. Besides, the new projects would also help in meeting new challenges in the international market in relation to export-oriented industry supported by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), they added. The officials also said that the industrialists would be facilitated in abiding by the national and international market standards by fulfilling their commitment to the environment.
When contacted, Industries and Commerce Secretary Zamir Ahmed Khan told Pakistan Today that the federal government would shortly release the funds after which the schemes would be initiated on priority basis.
“The Sindh government had sent these schemes to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval two years back, however, the scheme was approved only a couple of days back,” he added.
