BUNER: Huge amount of polluted water running out from Marble industry pose imminent threat to aquatic life as people of the area has noticed significant expiry of fishes near those rivers where polluted water is being discharged.
Buner district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is blessed with rich marble mountains, making it a significant hub for the marble industry. This natural resource plays a vital role in the local economy, providing employment opportunities and contributing to economic growth. However, the rapid expansion of marble industries without planning has led to severe environmental consequences, particularly in the form of water pollution.
Once pristine and suitable for human consumption, the rivers and canals of Buner are now heavily contaminated due to industrial waste. Many marble factories discharge their waste directly into local water bodies without proper treatment. As a result, pollution levels have risen, harming aquatic life and reducing fish populations. This environmental degradation not only threatens biodiversity but also has wider implications for climate change and public health.
It is high time for the government and district administration to address this growing crisis. Strict regulations should be enforced to ensure that factories install proper waste management systems. Additionally, efforts should be made to clean and restore the rivers so they can once again serve as valuable resources for the local community.
Several time the Peshawar High Court summoned high officials from the local government department in Khyber Pakhtunkwa to arrange for land acquisition to dump industrial waste of marble factories in Buner.
The Awami National Party (ANP) had proposed the Buner Marble City project under which all industrial units would be based in one place, making it easy to process the industrial waste and provide raw material to marble factories. The project was taken up by the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and according to the budget document, the KP government allocated a sum of PKR 300 million for the establishment of Buner Marble City. However, the project has been long in gestation.
“The Buner Marble City project is a good idea to overcome pollution in the area,” says local person Zaitur Khan local Chairman. “However, it is a long term project and industrialists may not be willing to shift their units to the Marble City. It is good for those planning to start marble industries in future”.
In February, 2015, the Peshawar High Court’s Green Bench ordered closure of 45 marble units in Buner for violating Environmental Protection Orders (EPOs). An EPA document obtained by News Lens Pakistan, says the agency issued notices to 180 units – out of the 256 inspected by EPA in Buner – for violation of EPOs.
Read also:Factories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa directed to control pollution
