Officials to seal smoke emitting units

The federal and Punjab governments have formed joint teams to carry out action against smoke-emitting factories in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Environmental Protection Agency Director General Farzana Altaf and Punjab Department of Environmental Protection Director General Dr Khurram Shehzad have formally approved the formation of teams that are set to start operation from Monday.

In the Rawalpindi district, some 50 brick kilns, 11 stone crushing machines, and three tar coal manufacturing centres have been sealed recently.

Further, Dr Shehzad also chaired a meeting to review the course of action against smoke-emitting sites in the Rawalpindi district on Saturday.

The joint teams will ensure closure of such sites until December 31 across Punjab to curb smog.

Special teams will also have night-squads as most of the owners were reportedly opening sites during wee hours while keeping them close throughout the day to avert action.

DG also ordered to expedite action against the burning of medical waste, crops, and other materials that helped intensifying smog.

Besides this, the environmental protection department will also hold action against the smoke-emitting vehicles across Punjab very soon.

In a bid to control smog, some 300 brick kilns, 150 stone crushing machines, and 15 coal tar manufacturing units in the district have been shut down by the Rawalpindi administration for nearly two months.

Along with it, at least 11 brick kilns, six stone crushers, and two coal tar units were sealed by the administration for violating the government orders.

A crackdown on smoke-emitting factories was conducted by the EPA Deputy Director Amin Baig.

The EPA teams carried out an action in different parts of the district including Taxila, Gujjar Khan, and Chek Beli Khan, and sealed smoke-emitting factories and manufacturing units.

Baig told The Express Tribune that factories emitting toxic smoke would be sealed to control smog in Punjab during the winter season.

He added that some 110 factories and units have been issued warning notices before the commencement of operation on November 16.

The smoke-emitting factories in Punjab would remain shut until December 31 to mitigate smog.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2020.