The Punjab Environment Protection Department (PEPD) has served notices on the owners of 24 tanneries in eastern Pakistan, who are said to be causing severe water pollution, contravening National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS) in Multan city (Punjab).

Under the orders served by the PEPD, the owners have been given one month to either relocate their businesses outside of the city or to deploy water treatment plants for each unit so as to stop groundwater contamination and bring the effluent level down to an NEQS-approved level.

As a solution, the Punjab government has offered land at the Multan Industrial Estate as a possible new location for the tanneries.