Tannery owners asked to manage toxic water treatment plants

LAHORE:Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Randhawa while taking important decisions regarding chrome removal treatment plants of tanneries, has said that the tanneries owners should manage the toxic water treatment plants themselves.

While addressing a meeting on Monday, Commissioner Lahore warned that toxic water should not come out of the factories and strict action will be taken if the poisonous water of the tanneries affected a single person. The water used in tanneries was highly toxic and without treatment, it causes dangerous diseases, he added.

He decided to give the responsibility of Kasur Tanneries Waste Management to tannery owners. He said that only tannery owners will be able to get the membership of tanneries association.

Commissioner Lahore said that a practical offer of one crore rupees interest-free loan for five years has also been made for the installation of treatment plants under administrative measures.

He added that according to the instructions of Lahore High Court, it was mandatory to install water treatment plants for tanneries at individual or collective level. The management has nothing to do with the decision and the tanneries owners should do it under self-management.

Commissioner Lahore said that the tanneries owners association of Kasur had requested to hand over the management of water treatment plants to them. The owners of small, medium and large tanneries must install individual or joint treatment plants, he said. The tanneries owners assured Commissioner Lahore of their full cooperation.

Randhawa said that the tanneries owners should visit villages affected by poisonous water with district administration Kasur. He said that a district commission has been formed at district Kasur level regarding the treatment plants. He said that the administration was fully cooperating with the tanneries owners.