SHC issues notices over vegetable farming with industrial, sewerage waste

KARACHI: Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the government over vegetable farming in the province with industrial and sewerage waste, ARY News reported.

A bench of the high court comprises of Jutice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, issued notices to the Government of Sindh, Chief Secretary, Commissioner Karachi and deputy commissioners.

The court ordered the officers to submit detailed reports about their areas in the next hearing of the case.

The bench was hearing petition with regard to use of untreated industrial and sewerage waste in vegetable farming in the city.

Jutice Muhammad Ali Mazhar while hearing the case observed that vegetables being cultivated in the city with dirty sewerage water.

“What are you providing the citizens as food item,” Justice Mazhar questioned.

The court adjourned further hearing of the case till February 25.

It is to be mentioned here that an elaborate waste water irrigation system runs along vast stretches of vegetable beds and animal fodder fields with stinking sewerage water, where once a gleaming Malir river existed.

Vegetables are being grown using the poisonous water of the Malir River in Karachi.

Farmers have cultivated hundreds of acres of land near the Malir River. They rely on the river to water their crops and grow fruits and vegetables. But the problem is that the river is polluted because factories dump their untreated waste into it.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s managing director had written a letter to District Korangi’s deputy commissioner over the cultivation.

“Assorted groups of farmers are carrying out agricultural activities on scattered pieces of land at the bed of the Malir River, which is obstructing the 36-inch diameter of the main sewerage carrier channel,” the KWSB managing-director wrote.

There are also other places in the middle of Karachi where stinking untreated sewerage water being used for vegetable cultivation.