Health hazardous: Most ice factories are not on govt record

LAHORE:

More than 100 ice factories in the city’s residential areas are posing risks to citizens’ health, The Express Tribune has learnt.

An Environment Protect Department inspector said seven people were taken to a hospital in Green Town after they took ill due to ammonia leak from Baber Ice Factory a few days ago. A cow was reportedly killed from inhaling the gas.

The inspector said the factory had been sealed and an FIR registered against its owner, Sheikh Babar.

According to the District Office of Investments and Enterprise, most factories were in a derelict condition. It said the city government did not maintain any record of such factories.

Environment District Office Younis Zahid said they had no authority to check the factories. Civil Defence District Officer Sher Alam said the government was surveying the ice factories.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2014.