Health concerns: In Charsadda, marble factories pose threat to life

The Express Tribune

A local body established for the protection of farmers’ rights has demanded that the government immediately shut down marble factories in Shabqadar, Charsadda district. Residents complain that the factories drain sewage into the main canals, contaminating water meant for consumption and irrigation. At a public meeting held in village Aranda on Sunday, residents said waste from marble factories in the area is drained into the Michini canal. Siraj, the head of the committee, said there are around 35 marble factories in the villages of Khwajazai and Daryab Koroona. “It’s not only damaging for the crops but people in these villages have started suffering from health problems.” He said children, who used the canal for swimming, are suffering from skin diseases, typhoid, and hepatitis. Mohabat Khan, a farmer, said his cattle died after it drank water from the canal. “Four of my goats and a cow have died.” The residents said they took up the issue with government officials, but in vain. “Our complaints fell on deaf ears when we approached the district coordination officer and executive district officer of Charsadda,” said resident Muhammad Islam. Lands turning arid Nearly 2,000 acres of land is irrigated by the Michini canal. Crops like wheat, sugarcane and some vegetables are grown in the area, but the land is becoming arid with each passing day. Local farmers claim that the villagers paid Rs0.2 million to the Irrigation Department to block the channel for the sewage, but nothing has happened so far. “We will not pay them in the future due to their non-cooperative attitude,” said an elder from the locality, Siana Khan. A government officer said the department had sent an application to the local SHO to register an FIR against 12 factory owners under Section 19 of the Environmental Protection Act, but the SHO refused to register the case.