Published On:January 12 2009
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Tanneries zone to come up in Sialkot
Sialkot: Necessary arrangements are being given final touches for setting up an ultra modern Sialkot Tanneries Zone costing Rs 40 crore in Sialkot. The Punjab government will provide Rs 30 crore while stakeholders would contribute Rs 10 crore for this tanneries zone.
The proposed tanneries zone would be developed over 384 acres of land and after the completion of the projects all existing tanneries would be shifted into the zone revealed Naveed Iqbal Sheikh Chief Executive Sialkot Tanneries Zone Association.
Naveed Sheikh disclosed that an affluent water treatment plant would also be installed with the help and assistance of donor agencies in the tanneries zone.
The project of tanneries zone was being expedited on the directive of Punjab Chief Minister to cope with the growing pollution threats caused by the ill-planned establishment of tanneries in and close to Sialkot, which are posing serious threats to human life and gradually degrading the environmental conditions he added.
The business community engaged with the leather and tanning industry has appreciated the timely step of the government for the establishment of tanneries zone in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country he added.
Naveed Sheikh further added that the completion of the project of Sialkot Tanneries Zone would not only ensure pollution-free environment to the dwellers living in tanneries cluster but also help in protecting agricultural land, sub-soil water from contamination and save the marine life. The prime concept of setting up tanneries zone was to shift all existing ill-planned tanneries functioning in and close to Sialkot in the proposed zone and to ensure pollution free environment to the dwellers living in tanneries clusters.
At present in Sialkot, as many as 248 tanneries of different sizes are functioning in and close to Sialkot of which nine large, 79 medium and 160 small tanneries are functioning in the area.
These measures have been adapted to enabling the business community to fulfil the demands and requirements of World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime and other global challenges more easily.