HYDERABAD, April 26: The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has sent a letter to Fauji Fertiliser Company Energy Limited (FFCEL) to stop any activity at its windmill project that may lead to contamination of source of water that falls into Keenjhar lake - Ramsar site - as well.

EPA sources maintained that the FFCEL management had been informed that an EPA team would visit site of project and would examine Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), issued by EPA to FFCEL, whether it is being adhered to.

The team would visit the site within next few days. EPA has done fresh sampling of Keenjhar lake’s water. Keenjhar lake had received pollutants through a rainwater drain and sampling of drain’s water indicated toxicity, according to water expert Dr. Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui, who has also been engaged by EPA Sindh for chemical analysis of water.

Earlier, carcases of cattle, dead fish, snails and other aquatic life was found dead around Keenjhar, a source of water supply to Karachi and parts of Thatta district in last few days. The lake is also a wildlife sanctuary.

Reports indicate that FFCEL is set to start generation of wind energy through a 50MW wind power project with an investment of $135 million. It will have a trial production in June before launching commercial production in November. “With ground breaking of the country’s first 50MW wind power project, a significant milestone in country’s history, Pakistan has taken the first step in wind energy to bridge current power shortfall, which is adversely affecting national economy,” Lt Gen (retd) Malik Arif Hayat, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC) and FFCEL had told media last month.

Contamination of Keenjhar led to hue and cry by communities depending on and living in the vicinity of the lake. Keenjhar is regularly fed by Kalri Baghar feeder that emanates from Kotri barrage’s right bank. Keenjhar supplies water to Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) but the board spends nothing on its upkeep and preservation, civil society activists believe.

Rainwater drain runs parallel to Keenjhar before becoming part of it. And the drain passes through the windmill site, a source said. SEPA has asked FFCEL management to cooperate with it even if it is not responsible for the contamination of Keenjhar lake directly or indirectly.

“Yes it is their [FFCEL] corporate social responsibility (CSR) to identify the culprit”, Sindh Secretary Environment Mir Hussain Ali said over phone from Karachi. He confirmed that some investors association’s representatives have spoken to him over this issue.

“I have told them circumstantial evidence shows that it [contamination of drain] is due to blasting at windmill project. Latest reports said that urea is found in one of the samples of water”, Ali said. He said that this has aggravated situation as per water analysis report.

“Blasting has taken place right at the spot wherefrom rainwater drain starts, said Dr.Siddiqui, who is been visiting the Site regularly for water quality analysis. “I also believe that it is blasting which whose traces in shape of urea have found their way into the rainwater and then this water goes into Keenjhar lake”, he said.

Dr.Siddiqui had called for stopping water supply to Jhimpir because of presence of pollutants contaminants in the sample. Then flow of water of Keenjhar was increased by irrigation authorities.

Mir Hussain Ali said that FFCEL has got its EIA done from EPA Sindh. “But they still need to clarify and explain their position because it is the question of life and death of people”, he said. A deep excavation was needed for creating base/plinth for wind turbine and such a solid base couldn’t be created in absence of blasting, he said.

He agreed that there was no industrial effluent coming out of FFCEL project site yet it was imperative that analysis of ground situation was done to exclude all factors to ensure preservation of lake, a source of livelihood of people. “I have told the investors’ representatives who spoke to me to please do identity the element responsible for the present situation”, said Ali.