| Author | Malik, Asghar Naeem |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.UE-02-09 |
| Subject(s) | Environmental protection--Pakistan
Pollution prevention--Pakistan
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Science |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Hudiara Drain has become a sink of untreated industrial waste and municipal sewage of
Lahore city. It is degrading the environmental condition with every passing moment.
Pakistan has very exhaustive environmental policies, rules and regulations along with line
of corresponding departments for the enforcement of those policies. But, unluckily, the
long-standing pollution problem of Hudiara Drain could not get the proper attention of the
concerned quarters. In fact the Hudiara Drain pollution problem is of complex nature that
calls for the interaction, coordination and synergy between the three key agents; the state,
the civil society and the industries. This research study is an attempt to look into the sociopolitical
dimensions that determine the inaction of government authorities, the civil society
and the private polluters. The empirical study reveals that there is lack of interaction and
synergy between the three key agents. The regulatory authorities never deemed it
necessary to engage the civil society in the protection of the environment. The affected and
vulnerable communities have never been informed about the pollution situation caused by
the industries and its possible impacts on the environment and human health. Similarly
there is absence of interaction between the communities and the nearby industries except
the formal relation of being employers and the employees. The industrialists are alienated
to the environmental protection issues and to the communities that are being affected by
the pollution generate by them. It is happening partly because of unawareness of the
industrialists about the environmental issues and partly because of the undue profit
oriented mentality of the industrialists because they want to reduce the cost of production
by not installing the treatment plants or keeping them, if they have, inoperative. The state
departments also did not make any serious effort to engage the business sector in decision-making
and implementation process. Similarly the civil society lacks in social capital that
is a prerequisite for getting the problems solved faced by the community. Because of the
work of an NGO named Ikhwane Islam, there can been found a society named " Veer" for
community welfare activities for the inhabitants of the village. The Ikhwane Islam NGO
also helped in creating awareness among the people and local political elites of the Hudiara
village. But the people of Halloke Village are not much conscious about the water
pollution of the drain and its impacts on the environment and on the human health.
Because neither any NGO nor any concerned government agency ever tried to organize,
empower the community and launch environmental awareness campaigns. The solution of
the problem on permanent basis requires that the three key agents should play their role.
The major responsibility lies on the shoulders of the local as well as international
environmental NGOs. On one hand these NGOs have to launch environmental awareness
campaigns in the effected communities, they have to organize and empower the
communities so that communities themselves are able to protect their environment while
on the other hand they also have to increase pressure on the government to make it active
in environmental protection issues. Similarly the private business sector needs to be taken
into confidence and included in decision-making and implementation process. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Urban Environmental and Management (UE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Sajor, Edsel E. |
| Examination Committee(s) | Amin, A. T. M. Nurul ;Satoh, Hiroyasu |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate
Scholarship Program ;AIT
Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003 |
