Govt asked to declare Hayatabad pollution-free zone

PESHAWAR: The civil society members comprising environmental experts and KP women entrepreneurs apprised the elected representatives and officials concerned of various civic problems at a meeting on Wednesday.

Issues like accessibility for the disabled at public spaces like mosques, offices, toilets, in public and private buildings through bylaws, municipal and domestic waste management, and administrative measures against environmental degradation were highlighted at a meeting with provincial minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra and DG PDA.

The meeting discussed that toxic air pollution caused by a network of illegal stone crushing, asbestos, steel, and cardboard manufacturing plants in Shahkas area of Khyber district is a severe health hazard to the local residents, especially in Phase 7 area of Hayatabad. They said the industries were established in violation of EPA regulations in former tribal area by certain influential parliamentarians and these units emit toxic, CO, NO, SO2 gas and particulates in the air despite a ban imposed by PHC last year. The problem gets worse in winter, especially at night time when emissions are at their peak.

The faculty and students of IMSciences and PCSIR took air quality measurements; the results were in the range of 2350 microgram per cubic meter whereas the safe level according WHO air quality standard is10-50 microgram particulate matter (PM) per cubic foot. They said this situation shows a criminal neglect on the part of authorities concerned. The residents demanded declaration of Hayatabad as a pollution-free zone.