Pakistan stores only 9pc of potable water, 31pc wasted
Amanullah Khan
Saturday, July 14, 2012 - Karachi—Government of Sindh, in order to create awareness amongst the people at grass root level is incorporating “Environment” as a subject at basic education level which is of course a major step in the right direction to combat the threats to health and economy due to global warming, pollution, and toxic industrial waste in the country.
This was stated by Shaikh Mohammad Afzal, provincial minister for Environment at 9th Annual Environment Excellence Awards 2012 organized by National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) at a local hotel.
Pakistan Observer was amongst the recipients of the prestigious awards for its contribution by creating awareness about environment protection in the country. The Award was received by Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik Editor Pakistan Observer.
The Environment Minister said Pakistan’s role in adding to the environment pollution was nominal or insignificant yet it is worst affected country due to global warming and polluted environment by the developed economies of the world. Hence ethically it is the responsibility of the developed world to come forward to support our efforts for environment protection and vagaries of the weather which pose a serious threat to our economy and life of the people. I n this regard he referred to flood devastations in all the four provinces of the country.
Meanwhile, four effluent treatment plants have been approved in the current budget to treat industrial effluent industrial areas of Karachi and Hyderabad. Said Sindh Minister for Industries Abdur Rauf Siddiqui while speaking on the occasion.
He said the construction of first treatment plant in Kotri industrial area will be completed within one month to treat the industrial effluent which is currently being discharge in the nearby areas and River Indus. The proposal for these plants was being submitted with the provincial government for the last four years but no funds were allocated.
He said that the allocation for the construction of effluent treatment plant in the current budget was insufficient. This amount should be increased for the timely completion of these plants, he noted. The minister said that there is no solid waste management plant and no recognized land fill site in the metropolis to properly dispose of waste being generated here.
Global vice president IUCN, Javed Jabbar said that environment was being neglected in the country and added that environment ministry has been dissolved at the centre and now only Ministry of Climate Change has been created which is the only one aspect of environment. He called for holistic approach for saving environment in the country.
He noted that Pakistan has the capacity to stores only 9 percent of the fresh rain water and 91 percent is wasted due to shortage of dams and water reservoirs. President WWF Pakistan, Khalid Mehmood pointed out that only 10 percent of the raw sewage is being treated in Karachi which generates 600 million tons of raw sewage.
a report, he said that River Ravi is among top ten most toxic rivers in the world as all the metropolitan sewage and industrial effluent is discharged in it. Mahmood said Pakistan was endowed with rich bio diverse resources as it has 5 vital ecological sites among 200 global ecological regions. They are in northern region, Indus Rive, Indus delta and mangroves, he added.
Earlier, president NFEH Naeem Qureshi said that out of 148 applicants, 73 environment friendly companies have been selected on best performance during 2011-12 by a 3-member jury. Chairman NFEH Dr Kaiser Waheed talked about the activities of the Forum and said that award has been instituted to recognize and promote the organizations which make an outstanding contribution to sustainable development.
The TOP 10 recipients of the excellence Awards out of a total of 73 winners were including United Energy Pakistan, English Biscuit Manufacturer, Lucky Cement Ltd., Pak Arab Refinery Co., Agha Khan University, Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd., Glaxo Smith Kline Pakistan, YKK Pakistan, Procter & Gamble Pakistan, Lotte Pakistan PTA.
This was stated by Shaikh Mohammad Afzal, provincial minister for Environment at 9th Annual Environment Excellence Awards 2012 organized by National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) at a local hotel.
Pakistan Observer was amongst the recipients of the prestigious awards for its contribution by creating awareness about environment protection in the country. The Award was received by Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik Editor Pakistan Observer.
The Environment Minister said Pakistan’s role in adding to the environment pollution was nominal or insignificant yet it is worst affected country due to global warming and polluted environment by the developed economies of the world. Hence ethically it is the responsibility of the developed world to come forward to support our efforts for environment protection and vagaries of the weather which pose a serious threat to our economy and life of the people. I n this regard he referred to flood devastations in all the four provinces of the country.
Meanwhile, four effluent treatment plants have been approved in the current budget to treat industrial effluent industrial areas of Karachi and Hyderabad. Said Sindh Minister for Industries Abdur Rauf Siddiqui while speaking on the occasion.
He said the construction of first treatment plant in Kotri industrial area will be completed within one month to treat the industrial effluent which is currently being discharge in the nearby areas and River Indus. The proposal for these plants was being submitted with the provincial government for the last four years but no funds were allocated.
He said that the allocation for the construction of effluent treatment plant in the current budget was insufficient. This amount should be increased for the timely completion of these plants, he noted. The minister said that there is no solid waste management plant and no recognized land fill site in the metropolis to properly dispose of waste being generated here.
Global vice president IUCN, Javed Jabbar said that environment was being neglected in the country and added that environment ministry has been dissolved at the centre and now only Ministry of Climate Change has been created which is the only one aspect of environment. He called for holistic approach for saving environment in the country.
He noted that Pakistan has the capacity to stores only 9 percent of the fresh rain water and 91 percent is wasted due to shortage of dams and water reservoirs. President WWF Pakistan, Khalid Mehmood pointed out that only 10 percent of the raw sewage is being treated in Karachi which generates 600 million tons of raw sewage.
a report, he said that River Ravi is among top ten most toxic rivers in the world as all the metropolitan sewage and industrial effluent is discharged in it. Mahmood said Pakistan was endowed with rich bio diverse resources as it has 5 vital ecological sites among 200 global ecological regions. They are in northern region, Indus Rive, Indus delta and mangroves, he added.
Earlier, president NFEH Naeem Qureshi said that out of 148 applicants, 73 environment friendly companies have been selected on best performance during 2011-12 by a 3-member jury. Chairman NFEH Dr Kaiser Waheed talked about the activities of the Forum and said that award has been instituted to recognize and promote the organizations which make an outstanding contribution to sustainable development.
The TOP 10 recipients of the excellence Awards out of a total of 73 winners were including United Energy Pakistan, English Biscuit Manufacturer, Lucky Cement Ltd., Pak Arab Refinery Co., Agha Khan University, Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd., Glaxo Smith Kline Pakistan, YKK Pakistan, Procter & Gamble Pakistan, Lotte Pakistan PTA.
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