LAYYAH, Feb 2: Despite a warning by the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (Pepa), the Layyah Sugar Mills administration has failed to improve its pollution-control mechanism, putting at serious risk the health of about 200,000 people living in the city and its surrounding areas.

A couple of months back, Pepa had taken a serious note of the utter neglect of environment protection rules by the mills administration, warning it of action if it failed to minimise the discharge of pollutants, which it said, might cause various ailments among the area people.

A local environment activist, Khalid Khan, alleged that no action was being taken against the mills despite clear violation of environment law as its owners were politically influential people.

According to a survey conducted by Dawn, round-the-clock functioning of sugar mills produces extremely poisonous fumes, which, along with the wind, creates an umbrella of ash which keeps on falling down. This ash was causing various diseases among the local population.

According to local medical experts, since November an upsurge was witnessed in the cases of eye ailment and skin allergy among the residents because of the pollution caused by the mills.

Meanwhile, the mills administration officer claimed that an Indian environmental expert, Mr Salujah, had been hired to suggest measures to minimise the current level of pollution being caused by the industrial unit.

DAWN.

Note
This is not the only sugar mill in the country which is polluting the enviorment and posing threat to human lives, perhaps all the major industries , including fretilizers, tanneries , textile mills and many more, are playing havoc in their respective localities through out the country. Ironically, government seems unconcerned and mass helpless , as they dont know how to challenge the mill owners . Because most of such mills belong to ruling class and sitting ministers in the current government. This is a country called Pakistan, where every one is at risk , but not body seems concerned.