Environmental pollution grips Sheikhupura

DC says anti-smog campaign has been launched in city

SHEIKHUPURA: Sheikhupura, one of the country’s major industrial cities, has been suffering the effects of environmental pollution. One the one hand, new trees are being planted under the prime minister's tree plantation campaign. However, no effective measures are being taken to address the toxic smoke emanating from factories and brick kilns.

For the last few years, just as winter begins, the entire city is enveloped in a suffocating blanket of smog which causes locals to suffer from respiratory diseases and throat ailments. Authorities concerned direct the owners of brick kilns to keep their factories sealed for a fixed of period. However, once the winter months pass, authorities fail to take any action against the kilns.

Sheikhupura Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Bukhari said that factory owners should ensure the implementation of environment-friendly laws otherwise action will be taken against them as well as against officers, who have been involved in departmental negligence.

Bukhari stated that an anti-smog campaign has been launched in Sheikhupura. He added that brick kilns that are operating using the old technology will be directed to close down for a specific period of time. Further, Section 144 has been imposed on burning municipal waste, he added.

Sheikhupura is one of the largest industrial cities of Pakistan. There are more than 800 small industrial units. Among them, only a few have built water treatment plants and majority of the factory owners are flushing poisonous chemicals into rivers and water canals. That is the reason underground water has been poisoned, putting the lives of aquatic creatures at risk. Several factories set up in different areas of Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad Road are emitting non-filtered smoke, causing the environment to become more polluted. Furthermore, residents living in these areas are also suffering from respiratory diseases.

Also, instead of using coal, tyres and plastic are being burned in most factories and brick kilns which reducing costs but has a negative impact on the environment. There are over 50 factories in the city that are contributing to environmental pollution.

On one hand, cases are being heard in the courts against such factories on the authority of the environment protection department. However, the impartiality of the department has been called into question. Sources said that officials of the environment department don’t take action against factories violating laws because they receive hefty bribes in exchange.

Sheikhupura also covers agricultural area and poisonous smoke and chemical water also affects crops. Toxic water from factories has also been detected in fresh water canals.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2019.