The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has summoned the chief executive officers of K-Electric, Lucky Cement, and Dewan Cement for separate personal hearings, owing to their non-compliance with environmental standards in their operational activities.
In the notices issued, SEPA mentioned that its monitoring teams had observed significant emissions of smoke and soot from their stacks, chimneys and facilities, which were negatively impacting the nearby areas.
"It was also observed by the SEPA teams that concerning the handling of waste material and air emissions in the operational activities of the plants, there were insufficient measures to mitigate pollution, which confirms the violation of the Sindh Environmental Protection (SEP) Act 2014," read the notices.
It has also been explained in the notices that if SEPA found any activity against the provisions of the SEP Act 2014 and its subsidiary rules and regulations, the violators would first be given the opportunity of a personal hearing before any legal action was taken against them.
Therefore, the CEOS of the three companies were directed to appear in person before SEPA DG Naeem Ahmed Mughal on October 21 (Wednesday) to explain their positions regarding compliance with the legislation.
They were also directed to bring a copy of the environmental approval previously issued to them by SEPA for their operational activities, along with reports of compliance conditions, imposed in referred approval.
The notices also mentioned that if the CEOs failed to appear on the stipulated date and time, further legal action would be initiated against them as per the relevant environmental law.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2020.
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