Health hazard: Coal power projects challenged

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to the Punjab government after a petition was moved against the government’s decision to set up coal power projects without the Environment Department’s approval. Advocate Sheraz Zaka filed the petition, saying that the government had started work on the projects of 7,800 megawatts without first carrying out an environment impact assessment (EIA), a mandatory survey for such projects. “Poisonous waste and smoke emitted from coal power plants pollutes the environment,” he said. The lawyer asked the court to take notice of the emissions and order the government to meet the environmental protection requirements. The petition was adjourned for March 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2015.