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Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
WASA directs industrial units to construct septic, silt tanks
FAISALABAD: On the instructions of Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Sohail Qadir Cheema, notices have been issued to 435 industrial units of the city, in which it has been clarified that all industrial units should get septic and silt tanks constructed, otherwise their connections will be disconnected. According to the notices issued, all industrial units are discharging their chemical-contaminated water beyond the prescribed limit, which is against the Punjab Environmental Quality Standard (PEQS), and on the one hand, this industrial wastewater is causing air and environmental pollution, while on the other hand, it is creating blockages in WASA's sewage system, which is causing drainage problems for the citizens. According to the notices issued, it has been made mandatory for all industrial units to install a wastewater treatment plant as per WASA Sewerage and Drainage Rules and Regulations 2015, but industrial units, on the contrary, illegally connect their chemically contaminated wastewater to WASA sewerage network, whereas before doing so, it is very important to construct a septic and silt tank in every industrial unit, for which a standard and design is provided to all industrial units, but these orders are not being implemented. In this regard, MD WASA Sohail Qadir Cheema clarified that industrial units are creating a major obstacle in the delivery of quality drainage services to citizens during the rainy season and on the one hand, when it rains, on the other hand, industrial units pour their chemically contaminated water into WASA sewerage network, which increases the challenges of drainage. He further said that in case of non-implementation of the orders for construction of septic and silt tanks, the WASA sewerage connections of the concerned industrial units will be disconnected. He further said that in this regard, teams of WASA and the Department of Environmental Protection have been formed which will survey all the industrial units and in accordance with the prescribed time frame, the connections of the industrial units that do not construct septic and silt tanks will be disconnected and legal action will also be taken. MD WASA clarified that no application for connecting the discharge of any industrial unit to WASA sewerage lines without constructing septic and silt tanks will be approved. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
18-07-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
WASA warns 435 factories over illegal waste discharge
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has served notices to 435 industrial units, warning them to construct septic and silt tanks or face disconnection from the city's sewerage network. As per the official notices, the majority of industrial units have been found discharging chemically contaminated wastewater directly into WASA's sewerage lines in violation of the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). Officials say this practice is not only contributing to environmental and air pollution but is also clogging the city's sewerage system, especially during the monsoon season, causing severe drainage issues for residents. The notices, issued on the directives of Managing Director Sohail Qadir Cheema, emphasise that under the WASA Sewerage and Drainage Rules and Regulations 2015, it is mandatory for every industrial unit to install a wastewater treatment system. However, most industries have been bypassing this requirement and illegally connecting their effluents to the city's network without the prerequisite construction of septic and silt tanks — despite having been provided with standardized designs and guidelines by the authorities. MD WASA Sohail Qadir Cheema stated that the continued discharge of untreated industrial waste into the sewer system is a significant hurdle in providing reliable drainage services, particularly during rains when chemically contaminated water from factories floods the system. He warned that if the directives are not implemented, WASA will proceed with disconnecting the sewerage connections of the violating industrial units. Additionally, legal action will be initiated against offenders. To enforce the compliance, joint teams from WASA and the Punjab Environmental Protection Department have been formed. These teams will conduct inspections and monitor compliance within a given timeframe. Units that fail to adhere to the orders will face disconnections and penalties under environmental and municipal regulations.
Business Recorder
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
LTVs not older than 3 years exempted from emission testing: EPA
LAHORE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday announced that all cars and light transport vehicles (LTVs), not older than three years, are now exempt from the emission testing requirement as they do not significantly contribute to ambient air pollution. According to an order issued by EPA Director General Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh, EPA Punjab, vide Order No 240/PA/DG/EPA/2025 dated 16.04.2025, issued directives under Section 6(1)(t) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997, for the testing of vehicular emissions from cars and LTVs to ensure conformity with the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). The order further stated that data collected and analyzed over the past month by EPA Punjab indicates that newly manufactured vehicles - particularly those not older than three years from their year of manufacture (i.e., 2022) - have consistently demonstrated compliance with prescribed emission standards during the initial years of operation, provided they are properly maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications. 'It has further been observed that such vehicles, due to their recent manufacture and the incorporation of advanced emission control technologies, do not significantly contribute to ambient air pollution. Their immediate inclusion in routine emission testing may not yield proportionate environmental benefits, while potentially overstretching enforcement capacity and placing an undue regulatory burden on the owners of already compliant vehicles,' added the DG. The DG, in view of the aforementioned findings, amended his earlier order to declare that all cars and LTVs not older than three years from their year of manufacture (i.e., 2022) are hereby exempted from the emission testing requirement. This order shall come into force with immediate effect, the DG concluded. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
