HYDERABAD, June 14: The Environmental Protection Agency has warned industrialists of Kotri Site area of action if they discharge effluent of their industries into the Kalri Baghar Feeder.

In a communication to the Kotri Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) president, the EPA regional office's administrative in charge, Mashood Ahmad Siddiqui, said that industrial effluent polluted the feeder which was the only source of drinking water for residents of Kotri and from where water was also supplied to parts of Karachi.

He said that action would be taken against the polluters under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA), 1997. The KATI was asked to inform the EPA about steps it had taken to address the problem.

Mr Siddiqui reminded the KATI of an agreement between the association and the EPA in which it was agreed that the KATI would provide Rs50,000 to the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology's Institute of Environmental Management and Sciences.

He regretted that the amount, to be utilized on treatment of hazardous liquid effluent prior to discharge into the feeder, had not been released. Residents of Kotri, kutchi abadis and industrial areas are supplied with polluted water which is not fit for human consumption as it is mixed with domestic and industrial effluent discharged into the KB Feeder.

The EPA had last year collected samples of water from the feeder in connection with the water quality assessment programme, launched by the agency in collaboration with the National Drainage Programme to determine level of water contamination due to discharge of domestic and industrial waste.

The KB feeder emanates from the Kotri Barrage and is located on the right bank of the River Indus. There are three inlets from where effluent enters the feeder. Through two inlets, domestic waste is discharged into the feeder and untreated industrial waste of around 85 units finds its way into the feeder through the third inlet.

The chief engineer of Site had claimed last year that work on a waste water treatment plant would begin in August. However, the plant has still not been established.

Two researchers of the MUET, Manzoor Ahmad and Irshad Ahmad Bohyo, were to conduct a study to determine quality of water of the KB Feeder following directives by the EPA. The study findings are not known to date.

An EPA sources said that the researchers were also required to design a treatment plant for which funds were to be provided by the KATI as per its commitment. The then Sindh governor had called for setting up the treatment plant in April 2002.

Last year, Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, had directed the EPA to prosecute industrialists who violated the 1997 PEPA. The court had said that under clause 10 of the agreement, no industry was allowed to discharge effluent into drains.