Cleaning up Multan
Due to 450 cases of polluting have been sent to the Pakistani Environment Tribunal by local authorities, The Environment Department has launched firm action against those responsible. The action covers several industries and factories, including leather production.
Environment Department sources say that leather factories, among others, should operate farther from residential areas than where they currently are. Notices were reputedly issued to owners of all targeted pollutants that work in populated residential areas, and were asked to relocate within three months or face action.
Leather factories in particular have polluted the ground water in many areas, and incidences of hepatitis and kidney failure have been rising to alarming levels. Up to now, however, the Environment Department has been slow to act.
The District Officer for Environment, Zafar Iqbal, confirmed that 123 cases were registered against hospitals carelessly dumping medical waste, and cases against leather have also been sent to the tribunal.
