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Mr Askari Taqi asks
sugar mills to avoid polluting environment.
KARACHI:
The Minister for Environment and Alternative
Energy, Mr Askari Taqvi held a meeting with the
representatives of the Pakistan Sugar Mills
Association on Saturday to discuss the
environmental degradation being caused by the
sugar industries all over Sindh.
The
Minister emphasized upon the fact that all the
sugar mills are causing severe health problems
to the resident of the nearby towns and villages
and are also affecting flora and fauna of the
region. The industrial effluent being released
from the sugar mills is also contaminating the
irrigation canals and the subsoil water. The
representatives of the Sugar Mills Management
stated that adequate steps are being taken to
minimize the polluting factors. The Secretary,
Environment and Alternative Energy Department,
Government of Sindh Mir Hussain Ali advised the
Management that short term measures may
immediately be taken up to minimize the
environmental degradation in the concerned
areas.
The
Minister also highlighted the provisions of
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act and the
declared National Environment Quality Standards,
whereby severe penalties can be imposed upon the
violating Mills, if remedial measures are not
initiated.
Another
meeting will be held by the Minister with the
owners of the sugar mills on 2nd of
February, 2009, wherein the management would
give details of specific short terms measures
being taken up to minimize environmental
pollution. - PR
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