Environmental pollution: Factory owners told to mend ways or face action

Two-month deadline given for installation of emissions control equipment in factories

LAHORE: As part of measures to curb environmental pollution, the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has decided to impose a permanent ban on factories polluting the environment.

The district administration has given two month grace period for installation of emissions control equipment to factory owners that are willing to improve their manufacturing practices, The Express Tribune learnt on Wednesday.

In a meeting with representatives of different industries, Lahore DCO Muhammad Usman said the government would not allow anyone to pollute environment. “All factories running on coal have to install emissions control systems,” he said. “The government will conditionally allow operations for two months to factories that will provide undertaking for installing this equipment in their units.”



He said the factory owners had been ordered to provide a weekly report to the DCO Office on the progress of development works for controlling harmful emissions. “If any factory fails to introduce these systems in a given time it will be sealed again,” he added.

The DCO maintained it was a collective responsibility of all citizens to keep the city’s environment clean otherwise the government would be compelled to take stern action against violators of environment laws.

He directed the officials to open those units that had provided undertaking to make their manufacturing practices environment friendly.

On November 5, the provincial authorities ordered a crackdown against factories said to be contributing towards smog in the city. Since then at least 38 industrial units have been shut down on charges of burning coal powder, tyre scrap, used plastic and other harmful substances.

The action came after a thick blanket of fog loaded with pollutants and dust engulfed Lahore and its adjoining districts, causing deadly traffic accidents and health problems.

Amid growing concerns over smog in Lahore, the Punjab environment authorities sealed several steel industries for contributing to the unusual weather.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2016.