Inspection: Boilers operate illegally in residential areas

‘Industries will either be shifted or closed’.

LAHORE:

Boilers are being used without registration in 100 industries operating in residential areas of the city, The Express Tribune has learnt.

This is in addition to the boilers installed in public and private hospitals and big hotels, said a senior official of the Directorate of Industries speaking on the condition of anonymity.

After the Orient Laboratory debacle, the Punjab government had ordered the inspection of industries in residential areas. The chief inspector of boilers was assigned the task.

The survey revealed that boilers were used in most public and private hospitals, hotels and large government buildings where the HVAC system was installed. It was also revealed that 100 industries were illegally operating boilers without appropriate safety measures. Unskilled workers, instead of qualified boiler engineers, were operating the boilers.

The official said the CIB had issued notices to all the factories. He added that the boilers had been installed after the government stopped inspection of boilers in 2004-2005.  He added that his department would recommend that the factories either be shifted or closed down.

According to official record, out of the 2,190 factories working in residential areas 120 were operating boilers which had been registered.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2012.