On January 17, Mr. Gulzar Firoz, Project Director and President of the Pakistan Tanners Association (Southern Zone) Environmental Society (PTA (SZ)-ES), his dedicated team, and tanners witnessed the inauguration of the 640 kW Solar Energy Project and the newly renovated Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) Laboratory in the Korangi Leather Area. The solar plant will meet all the energy requirements of the treatment plant and the laboratory’s future needs based on international standards.
The project also involved establishing a dedicated team and using the latest machinery to collect tannery cluster waste from over 120 tanneries in the Korangi Industrial area and ensure its safe disposal at landfill sites, adhering to international standards. The initiative, estimated to cost $3 million, was funded by the UNIDO and took three years to complete.
Mr Gulzar Firoz, Project Director and President of the Pakistan Tanners Association (Southern Zone) Environmental Society (PTA (SZ)-ES), revealed further details of the additional project, which includes recycling tannery water and expanding CETP’s treatment capacity.
The inauguration ceremony for the 640 kW Solar Energy Project and the newly renovated CETP Laboratory was held at the CETP Plant in Sector 6-C, Korangi, Karachi. The Chief Guest, the Honorable Ms Aisha Humera Moriani, Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and Environmental Coordination, graced the event.
This significant initiative received funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It was implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in collaboration with the PTA (SZ)-ES and the MoCC.
Mr Gulzar Firoz delivered the welcome address, expressing profound gratitude to the MoCC and UNIDO-GEF for their unwavering support in advancing the leather sector. He highlighted the achievements in the Korangi Leather Area, emphasising that the project has successfully installed a 640 kW solar power system to enhance the energy efficiency of the CETP Plant. Additionally, a world-class testing laboratory has been established, setting new standards for quality and environmental compliance in the industry.
The Chief Guest, Honorable Ms. Aisha Humera Moriani, commended the private sector partners, particularly PTA (SZ)-ES, for their dedicated efforts in developing the leather sector, which remains one of Pakistan’s largest export industries. She referenced Pakistan’s commitments from COP29, emphasizing the nation’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Ms. Moriani also praised UNIDO-GEF’s contributions to providing machinery, solar power solutions, and solid waste management initiatives that promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting, officially marking the operational commencement of the solar energy project and the renovated laboratory.
