KARACHI: SITE Association of Industry protests promulgation of Sindh Industries Registration Act, 2017 which stipulates in-house treatment plant to become mandatory before setting up industries.
Expressing his surprise over the decision of the Sindh Government to present the draft law in the Sindh Cabinet for approval, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, President, SITE Association of Industry stated that all the industrialists have never agreed to the new law making it mandatory for industrial units to install a pre-treatment plant within their factory premises to treat toxic waste.
The new law, The Sindh Industries Registration Act – would also make it mandatory for all industries established since 1991 to get registered with the department.
Jawed Bilwani, President, SITE Association of Industry further stated that the draft of the Sindh Industries Registration Act, 2017 has not been circulated amongst all the stakeholders before its proposed promulgation. According to Mr. Jawed Bilwani, President, SITE Association, the new proposed law, Sindh Industries Registration Act, 2017 would provide a parallel and overlapping law and a separate set of penalties which are already covered under SEPA. A person, under the Doctrine of Double Jeopardy, cannot be punished under two enactments for the same offence, which is bound to happen after promulgation of The Sindh Industries Registration Act, 2017, added Mr. Bilwani.
SITE Association of Industry reiterates its stance for establishment of Combined Effluent Treatment Plant-I in SITE by the Government rather installation of pre-treatment plants within their factory premises by the industrialists to treat toxic waste.
The PC-I of the CETP-I was finalized in 2016 and funds were allocated in the budget for this project after the concerted efforts made by the SITE Association of Industry.
Mr. Bilwani demanded that the Government of Sindh may seek the viewpoint of all the stakeholders including the SITE Association of Industry, the sole representative of the country’s largest and oldest industrial estate before presentation of the proposed law – The Sindh Industries Registration Act, 2017, in the Sindh Cabinet for approval and subsequent promulgation.
Published in Daily Times, December 17th 2017.