LAHORE: Environment Protection Authority Punjab has issued notices to 58 housing schemes and industrial units discharging untreated wastewater at Charrar drain. Housing societies and industries have been asked to install wastewater treatment plants to avoid proceedings at Environmental Tribunal.
Chairing a meeting held here on Tuesday to review measures for reducing pollution in Hudiara Drain, Environment Secretary Sajjad Saleem Hotiana directed the officials to take steps to revive the original status of Hudiara and Charrar drains – storm water channels. Director General EPA Dr Shagufta Shahjahan and representatives from Industry, Wasa, Irrigation, DHA and Chamber of Commerce participated in the meeting.
Sajjad Saleem Hotiana directed desilting, establishment of pavement along drains, stoppage of untreated wastewater and solid waste disposal.
The meeting was informed that only 6 out of 103 industrial units along Charrar drain had installed treatment plants. Defence Housing Authority, Sui Housing Society, State Life Housing Society, Civil Aviation Authority (Airport), Punjab Land Development Company (Aashiana Housing Society under construction) and several private housing societies of Aziz Bhatti Town and Nishtar town are discharging wastewater in Charrar drain. The industrial units having treatment plants are Combined Fabric Limited, Delta Garments Ltd, Musterhaft (Pvt) Ltd, Manikan Textile (ETP under construction) Zainal Textile (mill presently not in operation) Padana Textile (mill presently not in operation).
Charrar drain originates from Barki Road (Bao Wala Pind) near airport and meets Hudiara drain (Dullu Khurd), 23km Ferozpur Road. Its original status is storm water channel and its current status is sewage cum industrial drain. The total length of Charrar drain is 19 km and its designed capacity is 800 cusecs.
The Hudiara drain originates from Batala in Gurdaspur district, India, and enters Pakistan at village Laloo. After flowing for nearly 55km inside Pakistan, it joins the River Ravi. All along its route in India and Pakistan, wastewater, sewage, and industrial pollutants are discharged into the drain without treatment. As a result, organic wastes and toxic chemicals have badly affected aquatic life both in this drain and in the River Ravi.
