Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): The life of the workers in the industrial units denying the stipulated national and international laws for the safety of their health, was on stake and in such ugly state of affairs it was enjoined upon the concerned law enforcement agencies to ensure their vibrant role for the implementation of the prevalent rules and regulations to this direction.
Indication to this effect was given at a grand seminar hosted here on Saturday by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Azad Jammu Kashmir government with prime focus to raise awareness among the local factory owners in this major industrial hub of AJK to ensure the safety measures for the health of their factories workers through taking necessary steps matching to the safety of the human lives in their industrial units.
Chief Guest of the ceremony Secretary Population Welfare of AJK government and Director General EPA Azad Jammu Kashmir Raja Muhammad Razaq Khan said while addressing the seminar said that in the present era of swift progress and use of latest means during the course of productions in the industrial concerns, the occupational Safety and Health (OSH) have become much imperative for the health and well-being of the workers in the industrial units.
“Keeping in view the current scenario of work place hazards and occupation health & safety within industrial concerns has become the need of hour to ensure the safety of precious lives”, the DG EPA stressed.
Elaborating the objective of holding of the seminar, Razaq said that prime focus to host the seminar was to create awareness among the stakeholders regarding the sensitive issue of Occupational Health and Safety of workers.
The Director General EPA-AJK in his keynote address also highlighted serious Environmental challenges that the people were facing at present. Raja Razaq also shared his point of view about the Human Safety Environment – HSE.
e also emphasized that safety and well being of all workers was a necessary element for achieving long-term success and sustainable industrial growth.
“Lack of proper safety measures can create havoc for the workers and for the organization”, he warned. The EPA AJK chief stressed that by using shared responsibility methods, the concern industrial concerns and workers could collectively create a safe working place.
Besides the facilitator Aziz Kareeem, experts including eminent icons from various segments of the AJK civil society including Sohail Shujah Mujahid, President AJK Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Altaf Hamid Rao, President Environmental Journalists Forum & Member Environmental Protection Council of AJK Government, Dr. Fida Hussain District , Chaudary Shakeel Station Director Azad Kashmir Radio Mirpur also addressed the seminar attended by officials of the AJK department of Commerce & Industry, hundreds of the local factory workers, political elder Naveed Akhtar Goga graced the event with their presence. Representatives of various industries from Mirpur and Bhimber also attended the seminar.
Th expert from Haggler Bailly, Pakistan Aziz Karim (Senior EHS Manager) apprised the audience of various aspects of Workplace Safety and Hazards. He also highlighted various important standards of OHS.
A representative of a local foam manufacturing Group also shared his experiences with the audience that how his company deals with the health and safety component.
