Tanneries are among the industrial concerns that have been told to leave Rawalpindi by the authorities of the Pakistani city. The instruction follows an official report showing industrial production in the city to be responsible for a wide range of pollution and health problems.
According to the report, the inner parts of Rawalpindi are home to around 1,200 licensed factories. However, these are greatly outnumbered by unregistered operations that include not just tanneries, but also producers of footwear, foodstuffs, plastics, polyethylene and paint, as well as manufacturers of fire crackers, soaps, detergents and electronic components.
In announcing the decision, District Nazim, Raja Tariq Kiani, said he expected the first notices to quit to be served within weeks, adding that because similar notices in the past had been ignored, ‘strict action’ would be taken against those who refused to move.
