EPA orders investigation into environmental fine irregularities

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has launched an inquiry into serious irregularities in the imposition and collection of environmental fines in Faisalabad.

Reports suggest that certain officials imposed penalties on industrial units for environmental violations but later collected partial payments through non-transparent means.

According to an exclusive report obtained by the Express News, several factories in Faisalabad were fined millions of rupees for violating environmental regulations. However, instead of ensuring full payment, partial amounts were allegedly accepted, allowing the factories to resume operations, thereby causing financial losses to the government.

Additionally, there are allegations of money being collected through fraudulent receipts and not being deposited into the government treasury.

These revelations have raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of environmental protection policies and enforcement mechanisms.

In response, the EPA has issued a written notice to Faisalabad's Deputy Director Usman Azhar demanding a detailed record of all legal actions taken in the past six months. The notice requires a complete list of penalized industrial units, details of fines imposed, amounts collected, and proof of treasury deposits.

Furthermore, the agency has sought names and records of relevant inspectors, senior inspectors, and other responsible officers to ascertain accountability.

The EPA Secretary has been briefed on the situation, and a thorough investigation is underway.