SEPA calls for action against smoke-emitting vehicles

Barbeque restaurants ordered to install smoke catcher devices to avoid penalties, closure

HYDRABAD:

Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Director General, Naeem Ahmed Mughal has asked the officials to take action against the vehicles with emissions beyond permissible limits.

Addressing a meeting on Tuesday, Mughal told the officials to implement the vehicular emissions control programme in Hyderabad region to contain the environmental pollution.

He said the vehicles contributing to the pollution should be fined heavily under the Sindh Environment Protection Act, 2014.

The traffic police should be directed to impound such vehicles, he added.

The DG further said that the barbeque restaurants which greatly contribute to the pollution should be ordered to install air controller or smoke catcher devices to avoid facing penalties and closure under the Act.

The meeting also talked about the issue of discharge of municipal and industrial wastewater in the river, canals and waterways. He directed the officials of SEPA to interact with the local government officials and ask them to comply with the regulation of treating wastewater before releasing it into other channels.

Read SEPA warns industrial units defying environmental laws

Mughal said he has been concerned about the partially functioning water filtration plants in Hyderabad, operated by Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), which continued to supply unfiltered water to the citizens.

"Because of the lack of attention of WASA, the people are forced to consume polluted water in the district", Mughal said.

He summoned the managing director of WASA and other officials of the agency for a personal hearing on November 20.

SEPA Hyderabad Acting Regional Director, Imran Ali Abbassi and Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas regional in-charge were among officials present in the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2023.