The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), Sindh Building Control Authority and others on a petition seeking an inquiry against unregistered factories in Korangi Industrial Area.
Petitioner Fayyaz Hussain submitted that several industries were operating in KIA without proper NOC from the environmental agency and due to negligence multiple factories were emitting hazardous gases, which were causing environmental pollution and health risks for the residents of Korangi.
He submitted that most of the chemical and pharma factories were functioning near the residential areas of Mehran Town and Chakra Goth, PNT Colony etc. and these companies’ sewage was disposed in local sewerage lines of the residential areas.
The petitioner submitted that industrial waste was discharged in sewerage lines of residential areas without any treatment and such discharge of industrial waste not only caused environmental pollution but also marine pollution after falling into the sea. He said the SBCA also failed to check the building plan of these factories due to which several citizens lost their lives at unregistered factories.
The court was requested to direct Sepa to initiate an inquiry against unregistered factories in KIA which were operating without approval of Sepa and other agencies and remove the unlawful construction from industrial areas. He also sought the issuance of directions to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Sindh Solid Waste Management Board to remove garbage and clean the drainage in industrial area and take action against unregistered factories.
A division bench, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, after the preliminary hearing of the petition, issued notices to Sepa, KMC, Korangi industrial Area and others and called their comments on the next date of hearing.