Environmental pollution: EPA ordered to reveal all action against industries

PHC directs petitioners to contact DG and take measures to address issue

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to provide a complete record of action taken against those industries that are causing pollution.

A division bench, comprising justices Yahya Afridi and Syed Afsar Shah, was hearing a petition filed by two construction companies, Stinger Construction Company and Durrani Construction Company. The companies filed a petition in the court, challenging EPA’s action of sealing their companies on charges of environmental pollution.

When hearing commenced, EPA Director General Dr Muhammad Bashir Khan appeared before the court and said, “The companies are causing environmental pollution and they had not taken any step to contain it.”



Afridi inquired if the companies were simply sealed or if any actual steps were taken to force them into protecting the environment.

The DG replied EPA was established with the aim to protect the environment and action had been taken against hundreds of industrial units creating pollution, especially marble factories.



He said a letter had been sent to the Peshawar deputy commissioner to take action against these units. He maintained the petitioners had not taken any containing measures to protect their surroundings.

The bench, after hearing the DG’s comments, directed him to provide a complete record of actions against those polluting the environment. The bench also ordered the petitioners to contact the DG, stop polluting the environment and provide a report in this case. Notices were issued to the Peshawar DC, Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar and Cantonment Board Peshawar chief executive.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2016.