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EDF okays effluent

treatment plant, ECO

testing lab

ISLAMABAD: The 9th meeting of the Board of Administrators of Export Development Fund (EDF) was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Commerce. The Board approved two major projects namely: combined effluent treatment plant and pollution abatement programme for Korangi tanneries and (ii) ECO testing laboratory.

This first project has been sponsored by Pakistan Tanners Association. Government of Sindh have provided land. From the Export Development Fund Rs 160 million have been sanctioned for completing the project over a period of two years. The project, which is motivated by concerns for environment, would help reducing environmental degradation from lead and chrome laden effluents from tanneries polluting Karachi's surface, ground water, soil and air.

The second project was approved at a cost of Rs 68.2 million for the establishment of ECO-testing laboratory at Synthetic Fibre-Development and Application Centre, Karachi. This lab is being established to ensure that in the textile and clothing products being exported from Pakistan AZO dyes are not used.

A number of West European countries have brought in legislation to ban the export of such textiles which cotain AZO-dyes. It is apprehended that other European and North American countries will follow suit which could adversely affect the export of textiles from Pakistan.

The project will be run by a managing committee comprising representatives from the Textile Commissioner's Organization, APTMA, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Export Promotion Bureau.

The lab would follow international standards of testing with the assistance of exports of international repute. The board also considered a number of other proposals and sanctioned funds according to the merits of each proposal.

The board conducted an in-depth review of the implementation position of the projects already sanctioned and issued directions for the speedy implementation of the projects and schemes approved by the board.

The board also issued instructions to the sponsors of the projects which include periodical meetings of the managing committees of the project concerned, regular dissemination of progress report to the Export Promotion Bureau, supply of audited accounts to the bureau and appointment of regular project directors.

The meeting was attended by Mian Habib Ullah, Chiarman, EPB, secretaries of ministries of Commerce, Industries and Production, Vice-Chairman, EPB, Vice-President, FPCCI and other senior officials of Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Pakistan. The representatives of sponsoring associations of the projects reviewed also attended the meeting.-PPI