Polyurethane foam manufacturing industries are shifting to cleaner methods. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
FAISALABAD:
In a step towards environmental reform, the Faisalabad divisional administration has initiated relocation of hazardous industrial units from densely populated urban areas to designated industrial zones, ending decades of stalled commitments dating back to almost 40 years.
The move aligns with long-standing recommendations outlined in key planning documents, including the 1986 Structure Plan, the 1992 Master Plan, the 1993 Faisalabad Area Improvement Project, the 1997 Transport and Traffic Management Plan, the 2015 Peri-Urban Structure Plan and the 2021 Master Plan.
A formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the Commissioner’s Office between the divisional administration and key industrial stakeholders.
Among the signatories were Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar, Chamber of Commerce President Farooq Yousuf Sheikh, Pakistan Textile Processing Factories Association President Bao Muhammad Akram, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association Senior Vice President Ahmed Afzal Awan, Pakistan Textile and Apparel Industries Association President Shakeel Ahmed Ansari and Chairman of the Council of the Power Loom Owners Association, Waheed Khaliq Ramey.
Senior officials including Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) Director General Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, Additional Commissioner for Coordination Tanveer Murtaza and representatives of industry, environment and labor departments were also present.
Speaking to the media, Commissioner Anwar said that in the first phase, 111 industrial units contributing to water and air pollution would be shifted to newly developed industrial zones. He termed the development a “historic milestone” and said it reflected Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision of ensuring a cleaner and healthier urban environment.
He appreciated the efforts of the Industrial Relocation Sub-Committee, headed by DG FDA Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, and acknowledged the cooperation of the industrialists and traders who accepted the relocation plan.
The commissioner said facilitation measures would include allocation of land for industrial zones, provision of development funds, tax incentives for relocation and access to soft loans. A comprehensive letter of demands, along with the MoU, will be sent to the federal and provincial governments for approval.
Under the agreement, the administration will identify hazardous units, propose land for two industrial zones and coordinate with relevant departments to ensure the development of infrastructure, including roads, electricity, gas, water supply, drainage systems and waste management facilities.
To encourage compliance, authorities are also considering an inspection-free operational framework, single-window facilitation, installation of effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and tax holidays of three to five years.
A joint coordination committee composed of stakeholders will be established in the commissioner’s office to monitor progress and address operational challenges.
