Cement factories: People don’t have potable water: CJP

LAHORE: The Supreme Court directed the DG NAB on Friday to appear in person in a matter related to the use of water by cement factories, with directions to the local government secretary to come up with a written reply on the next hearing.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Nisar was hearing the matter at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry. The top court questioned that why the price for water was changed, as initially Rs 1 million per day had been fixed for per cusec water. “Why the notification was changed manually and who changed?” the bench raised a question during the proceedings.

“The one making this change must appear in the court?” Justice Nisar remarked and observed that the country had already been facing drought and such steps would lead towards more troubling situation. “People don’t have water to drink and the water which is being used by the factories is potable,” said the chief minister who asked whether “you want to make the country drier”.

“The citizens are being deprived of pure water just for vested interests,” the he further remarked. He also came down hard upon a cement company for causing damage to Katas Raaj. However, he made it clear that due to CPEC, they were not going to shut down the cement company.

Taking up another matter related to environmental pollution, the chief justice directed the government authorities to evolve a mechanism to deal with the issues of environmental pollution.

He observed that the bad environment had been affecting the health of people and emphasised the need to provide the best environment for coming generations. The Environment DG told the court that the steels mills were being shut down to deal with the threat of smog.