KARACHI, Jan 15: Most of the speakers at a public hearing on a granular pesticide project suggested to the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) to seek a fresh environmental impact assessment report from the proponents concerned.

The public hearing to ascertain people’s views on the possible impact on environment after the establishment of a pesticides manufacturing plant in the eastern zone of the Port Qasim Industrial Estate was held here on Monday. Sepa Director General Abdul Malik Ghauri was in the chair.

According to the environment impact assessment (EIA) document submitted by the project consultant, the plant will be set up on a two-acre piece of land and produce 32,000 kg per day per shift Cartap monohydrochloride, which will be used for rice crop in Pakistan.

The report states that during the construction and operational phase, water will be obtained from a nearby golf course while a 70KVA diesel generator will be used to run the plant.

Giving the outcome of consultation with the primary and secondary stakeholders, it claims that in general, the project has been approved with stress that only local people would be employed in all non-technical and support services and that, too, on a regular basis.

During the consultation process, stressed was also laid on the establishment of a health facility and provision of water for the residents of the nearby villages.

The villagers suggested that there should be a provision under which they could have regular access to officials for getting any social and cultural problems, arising out of the project, addressed.

Women at the hearing wanted to ensure that there would be no discharge of toxic elements as wastewater could be consumed by their cattle. They also feared prevalence or outbreak of diseases like asthma, eye infection, etc.

Experts and some other participants noted that the EIA report seemed more general and less specific.

As such, they said, it should be made more comprehensive by adding details about total waste likely to be produced during the construction and operation phase, disposal of the waste, quantity of chemicals to be used at the plant and related laws, chemicals or binding agents, reference of specific legislation for the manufacturing process, etc.

Talking to Dawn, the project manager concerned said that his consultants would surely be providing information in line with the fresh observations.

He said that the plant was aimed at repacking, blending or reformulation of some pesticide which was already imported and marketed in the country.

The Sepa DG concluded that suggestions and recommendations to improve the EIA report and reduce any possible environmental degradation would be incorporated in the final report before issuance of NOC to the applicants.

He noted that development projects and industries were for the country and its population, but such projects should not be allowed to turn their vicinities and neighbourhoods into a dumping site of hazardous materials.