16 stone crushing units sealed in DG Khan

DERA GHAZI KHAN: In a bid to curb pollution, officials of the environment department have launched a crackdown against stone crushing plants in different areas of the district. They sealed 16 units while action is being taken to seal another 73 plants.

Officials of the environment department said the deputy commissioner had ordered authorities to initiate a crackdown against stone crushing plants and register cases against their owners. More than 115 plants had been illegally operating in the city.

They disclosed that officers of WAPDA and Auqaf department were allegedly involved in facilitating the establishment and operation of the illegal stone crushing plants. They revealed that due to excessive levels of atmospheric dust, thousands of citizens had been affected by respiratory problems and other diseases.

Deputy Commissioner Junaid Ibrahim ordered the crackdown after taking notice of health complaints and deaths caused due to environmental wastage from crushing plants in Sakhi Sarwar, Taunsa and Gabarwah areas. Earlier, fatal respiratory problems reportedly claimed over 60 lives in Choti Bala and 40 lives in Gabarwah, while a large number of residents in these areas had been affected from breathing and lung-related ailments.

The commissioner had also ordered the anti-corruption department to begin an inquiry against the illegal units and register cases against the officers involved. However, influential owners of stone crushing plants had been deferring the crackdown through delaying tactics.

District Environment Officer Syed Ashfaq Shah had sent multiple notices to owners calling them to obtain NOC, plant trees and install dust control system at the units but to no avail. The inaction led the environment department to formally launch a crackdown against the stone crushing plant owners. The drive began with plants at Sakhi Sarwar where 16 plants operating in violation of environmental control rules and regulations were instantly shut, while action was being undertaken against another 73 plants.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, District Environment Officer Ashfaq Shah said that the action was being taken under orders from the provincial government and deputy commissioner. “The commissioner’s office has given sufficient time and sent multiple notices to the plant owners to comply with environmental rules and regulations. However, they failed to act on the instructions,” he added. Ashfaq Shah mentioned, “Failure to comply with the instructions prompted the department to initiate action against illegal stone crushing plants.”

“Stone crushing units have been seriously affecting the health of the area residents. The dust and smoke emitted from the plants had been resulting in accidents at Quetta Road which connects Punjab with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.”

He pointed out that dozens of people had been injured due to smog caused due to the plants.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2018.