Relocation of industrial units: CDA, Pak-EPA yet to reach consensus on new location
Relocation of industrial units: CDA, Pak-EPA yet to reach consensus on new location
* CDA refuses to allocate site proposed by Pak-EPA* Says relocation to Sector I-17 will create problems
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority has refused to relocate the industrial units from sectors I-9, I-10 to Sector I-17 as proposed by the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), arguing that the industry cannot be relocated to the proposed sector, since it is already in advance stages of development and it has been acquired for residential purposes.The CDA informed the Pak-EPA and the Federal Environment Ministry about its stance on Monday in a meeting convened by Federal Minister of Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi.Environment Secretary Khushnood Lashari, CDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Khan, Pak-EPA Director General (DG) Asif Shuja Khan, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Mian Shaukat Masud and representatives of steel industry attended the meeting.CDA officials said that after reviewing the plan submitted by the PAK-EPA around six weeks ago, they had reached the conclusion that since residential sectors were close to Sector I-17, relocating industry there would create similar environment related problems that were being faced at its current location.Earlier, the environment minister had approved a Pak-EPA plan to relocate steel furnaces from sector I-9 and I-10 to new industrial zone. The decision was taken in view of increasing pollution caused by the industry. Steel furnaces located in industrial area of sectors I-9 and I-10 are the major source of pollution.Addressing the meeting, Afridi said that his ministry was concerned about the increasing levels of pollution in the capital and wanted to cut the hazardous industrial emissions. He added that his ministry did not want to negatively affect business activities in the country. However, the minister said that he expected that the business community would co-operate with the ministry to curb pollution. Afridi said that he was aware of the fact that the private sector industry was contributing 1.5 million tons of steel against the demand of 2.5 million tons.During the meeting, the CDA officials suggested that the industry may be shifted to some other area, for example a new industrial estate in Rawalpindi. The CDA officials assured the ministry of their full support to relocate the industry to Rawalpindi.Afridi constituted a committee, comprising of officials of the Environment Ministry, the CDA and the ICCI to select with consensus an appropriate place for the industry.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\01\06\story_6-1-2009_pg11_1
* CDA refuses to allocate site proposed by Pak-EPA* Says relocation to Sector I-17 will create problems
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority has refused to relocate the industrial units from sectors I-9, I-10 to Sector I-17 as proposed by the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), arguing that the industry cannot be relocated to the proposed sector, since it is already in advance stages of development and it has been acquired for residential purposes.The CDA informed the Pak-EPA and the Federal Environment Ministry about its stance on Monday in a meeting convened by Federal Minister of Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi.Environment Secretary Khushnood Lashari, CDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Khan, Pak-EPA Director General (DG) Asif Shuja Khan, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Mian Shaukat Masud and representatives of steel industry attended the meeting.CDA officials said that after reviewing the plan submitted by the PAK-EPA around six weeks ago, they had reached the conclusion that since residential sectors were close to Sector I-17, relocating industry there would create similar environment related problems that were being faced at its current location.Earlier, the environment minister had approved a Pak-EPA plan to relocate steel furnaces from sector I-9 and I-10 to new industrial zone. The decision was taken in view of increasing pollution caused by the industry. Steel furnaces located in industrial area of sectors I-9 and I-10 are the major source of pollution.Addressing the meeting, Afridi said that his ministry was concerned about the increasing levels of pollution in the capital and wanted to cut the hazardous industrial emissions. He added that his ministry did not want to negatively affect business activities in the country. However, the minister said that he expected that the business community would co-operate with the ministry to curb pollution. Afridi said that he was aware of the fact that the private sector industry was contributing 1.5 million tons of steel against the demand of 2.5 million tons.During the meeting, the CDA officials suggested that the industry may be shifted to some other area, for example a new industrial estate in Rawalpindi. The CDA officials assured the ministry of their full support to relocate the industry to Rawalpindi.Afridi constituted a committee, comprising of officials of the Environment Ministry, the CDA and the ICCI to select with consensus an appropriate place for the industry.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\01\06\story_6-1-2009_pg11_1
Comments
Post a Comment