PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday extended a ban on gold mining in Kohat district due to the use of mercury in the process and directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to inspect the environmental conditions of the area.
The court has also sought a report from the provincial government before the next hearing.
Advocate Nauman Mohibullah Kakakhel, in his petition, argued that mercury is used in the mining process in Kohat, which not only causes environmental problems but also leads to the disposal of waste into the Indus River, polluting the water.
He further stated that the waste generated from mercury usage negatively affects the Indus River and nearby agricultural lands.
The use and improper disposal of this chemical are harmful to humans, animals, and plants and violate the Environmental Protection Act.
Deputy Director Legal of the Environmental Department, Mumtaz Ali, informed the court that more time is required for site inspection.
The court granted the provincial government a one-month extension and continued the injunction against the use of mercury in gold mining.
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Earlier, Peshawar High Court (PHC) imposed ban on the use of mercury in mining and issued notice to Department of Minerals Development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar heard the petition against the use of mercury in gold mining in Kohat.
