Non-functioning of mega projects criticized

RECORDER REPORT

SIALKOT: Former Senior Vice President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mian Muhammad Anwar has expressed deep concern over the non-functioning of mega projects of Sialkot Tannery Zone (STZ) and Export Processing Zone. Talking to journalists on Thursday here he said that the basic concept of setting up tannery zone was to shift tanneries into proposed tanneries zone as well as to cope with growing threats of pollution caused by the tanneries functioning in and around Sialkot.

At present 276 tanneries were functioning in ten clusters around Sialkot and generating pollution he said. It is very unfortunate that the mega project of Sialkot Tannery Zone could not be made functional even after ten years of starting date of construction work on the project because concerned authorities had failed in translating the project into reality in ten year he pointed out.

In past ten years the management had failed for installing treatment plant in the STZ as a result of which businessmen engaged with leather industry were not shifting their tanneries into the zone so far and pollution threats were still hovering over this export hub, he said.

Mian Anwar further stated that the tanneries were resulting in degradation of environment through air, and water pollution and due to non-functioning of Zone pollution threats were looming over this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry. The mega tannery zone project was as being developed on 392 acres of land costing Rs406 million while Punjab government had provided Rs29 crore for the purchase of land for STZ.

He further told that Export Processing Zones Authority and Punjab Small Industries Corporation had failed badly to translate Sialkot Export Processing Zone into reality in past 30 years as a result of which the allotees were perturbed said Former Senior Vice President of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mian Muhammad Anwar.

Sialkot EPZ was spreading over 238 acres of land and 881 plots of different categories were developed and allotted to the concerned businessmen of Sialkot. The mega project had no importance and utility for the local exporters of this export and cottage industry of the country because only eight to ten industrial units were established in the zone in past 30 year he said.