EPA steps up anti-smog enforcement
Vehicles move on a road shrouded in smog on the morning of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in New Delhi, India, October 20, 2025 Photo: Reuters
The Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has stepped up enforcement against construction dust and brick kilns ahead of the smog season, while inspections, fines and some other measures declined in the industrial, plastic and water-pollution sectors, official data shows.
According to a report prepared by the EPA Strategy and Analysis Wing, 12,295 sites and units were inspected between July 21 and August 21, compared with 14,048 during the previous month.
The data indicates a shift in enforcement towards pollution sources considered more significant ahead of the winter smog season, particularly activities generating dust.
Inspections of construction sites increased more than fivefold, from 44 to 228. The number of notices issued rose from 26 to 135, while sealed sites increased from six to 45.
Mist sprinklers were installed at 30 sites during the period, compared with 11 previously.
Enforcement against brick kilns also increased in some areas. EPA teams inspected 5,223 kilns compared with 4,796 in the previous period, while demolitions increased from 57 to 79.
However, the number of kilns sealed fell from 74 to 29, FIRs from 133 to 45 and fines from Rs6.7 million to Rs5.15 million.
In the industrial sector, inspections fell from 2,638 to 2,392, but demolitions increased from 17 to 26. The number of sealed industrial units remained unchanged at 96, while FIRs declined from 13 to nine and fines from Rs16.162 million to Rs9.572 million.
Plastic enforcement registered a sharper decline. Inspections fell from 6,492 to 4,407, while the confiscation of prohibited material dropped from 48,798 kilogrammes to 37,433kg. FIRs declined from 15 to five and sealed premises from 1,385 to 407. Fines on the sector fell from Rs77.125 million to Rs20.632 million.
Enforcement against water pollution also declined in terms of inspections, which fell from 78 to 45.
However, notices increased from three to six and sealings from none to two. Seven wastewater treatment plants were reported installed, compared with 49 in the previous period.