KARACHI, Nov 15: Unmoved by public concern over the environment, a business concern from an Islamic country has launched the construction of a steel plant without having obtained the required clearance from the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) or carrying out any research in terms of potential environmental damage, Dawn has learnt.
The steel plant is planned over 220 acres leased from Pakistan Steel Mills in the Bin Qasim industrial zone and will ensure the yearly production of an estimated 1.28 million tonnes of direct reduced iron, which will then be converted into steel through electric arc furnace technology. The plant is likely to use 1.9 million tonnes of iron oxide and calibrated lump ore every year, will require 40 million cubic feet of natural gas a day in addition to 180 megawatts of electricity and 5,000 cubic metres of fresh water.
Reportedly, the construction of the furnace structure has already been initiated and the first phase is scheduled to be completed in roughly 15 months. However, under Section 12 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1997, no project involving construction activities or any change in the physical environment can be initiated until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Initial Environment Examination (IEE) is conducted and a report is submitted to the federal or provincial environmental protection agency.
Schedule-A of the Policy and Procurement for the Filing, Review and Approval Environmental Assessments 2000 lists projects that require an EIA, which includes steel mills. Meanwhile, the Port Qasim Authority Act 1973 (modified in 2002) also lays emphasis on environmental issues and directs that all projects obtain approval from the relevant authorities and submit an IEE or EIA wherever required.
Concurrently, development projects and housing schemes along the coast of Karachi, including those planned at Manora, Sandspit and Hawkesbay, have also caused concern about their potential effect on the environment. However, none of the proponents of these projects, whether pertaining to the government or the private sector, have so far submitted project reports to Sepa for approval or for guidelines to minimise the impact on the environment.
The EIA is of vital importance since it estimates the environmental impact of projects during both construction and operation phases, in addition to mandating the proponent’s compliance with government regulations. The issuance of an NOC by Sepa not only helps maintain the marine environment within the limits of the port but also ensures that the land, air and sea remain free of pollution and the flora and fauna of the area remain unaffected.
Environmentally-sensitive project
Steel mills, however, are environmentally-sensitive projects, experts told Dawn. The primary issues associated with steel manufacturing include the emission of gases and particulate matters, solid waste generation and disposal, waste water and these substances’ treatment or discharge.
An official of the steel mill coming up in the Bin Qasim industrial zone argued that much of the waste residue from the iron and steel section would be recycled or carefully treated before being disposed of. He said that his firm had not submitted an EIA report to SEPA since all care possible was already being taken with regard to the environment and health/safety concerns. He told Dawn that the project was under the supervision of a foreign consultant and should have no adverse impact, adding that the plant would facilitate the transfer to Pakistan of the latest technology in quality steel-making.
The director-general of Sepa, Abdul Malik Ghauri, confirmed that the submission of an EIA report and a Sepa project NOC was legally required of all project owners or their authorised agents. He told Dawn that Sepa can move against the violators of environmental laws only when the alleged offence is formally brought to its notice, and that any party that has started work without fulfilling the legal requirements can be directed to stop work immediately.
In terms of the upcoming steel mill project, however, Mr Ghauri said that “in a situation where Sepa lacks key-position officers and field staff, work pertaining to the monitoring and implementation of environmental laws cannot be done properly.”
Catastrophe in the making
Commenting on existing and upcoming developments along the coastal belt, a senior consultant on the environment and a member of the now-defunct technical committee on water resources, Dr Iqbal Ali, commented that while industrial development along the coastline some distance from the city could be justified on economic grounds, it was vital to take measures to mitigate any adverse environmental impact. However, he pointed out that the number of recreational coastline facilities available to the citizenry were shrinking at an alarming rate. “The worst is happening along the southern coastal belt of the city, which was very popular since it was within easy reach of the poorest of the poor,” said Dr Ali. “Sadly, a significant portion of these wonderful facilities is being privatised and taken out of the reach of ordinary citizens. This is a typically naked capitalist approach since it only makes more and more facilities available to the elite.”
Referring to the damage done by coastal projects, he said that the overcrowding of roads leading to the coast could set off a major environmental catastrophe, including increasing levels of air pollution and harming marine life. “It is extremely unfortunate that routine EIA provisions are not adopted, which violates the law and bypasses the authority of SEPA,” said Dr Ali. “Meanwhile, SEPA fails to perform up to the mark since the political will required is totally absent. Given that the agency is working with scarce financial and technical resources and a lack of baseline data, how can you expect environment officers to stand fast against the greed-driven paradigm of development or take action against breaches by influential parties?”
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