Almost all the industrial units operating in Punjab are violating the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) as they are disposing untreated wastewater in drains flowing nearby them, Pakistan Today has learnt.
This has been revealed in recent test reports of Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are being preparing after collecting wastewater samples of industries.
Punjab is facing numerous environmental issues including rising level of air pollution, land pollution and water pollution. The disposal of untreated wastewater by industries had ever been highlighting in media and other forums. But, despite taking action against violators, the authorities remained reluctant to pursue them.
Currently thousands of small, medium and large industrial units including multinational groups are operating in Punjab. However, Punjab industrial Department has no updated record of industrial units in the province.
Various drinking water quality parameters set by WHO are being frequently violated. Human activities like improper disposal of municipal and industrial effluents and indiscriminate applications of agrochemicals in agriculture are the main factors contributing to the deterioration of water quality. Microbial and chemical pollutants are the main factors responsible exclusively or in combination for various public health problems. This review discusses a detailed layout of drinking water quality in Pakistan with special emphasis on major pollutants, sources of pollution and the consequent health problems.
Waseem Ahsan Cheema said that EPA Headquarter Lahore has started receiving reports from EPA’s laboratories. He said that department will soon send notices for hearing to those found violating the laws. Cheema maintained that EPA would not be influenced by any industrialist.
The multinational companies operating in Pakistan are disposing their untreated waste water into the drains flowing nearby them, Pakistan Today has learnt.
In a laboratory report of EPA, the hazardous pollutants in wastewater of world’s renowned multinational company Nestle were found exceeded than the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS).
