The Punjab Environment Department on Saturday launched a crackdown against the factories violating the environment rules in the provincial metropolis thus contributing to the deteriorating situation of air pollution. According to the Punjab Environment Department's sources, five raiding teams made surprise raids on Steel Mills and Foundries working in Northern part of Lahore and causing air pollution. They sealed 19 such units which were found guilty of causing air pollution, using substandard fuel and emitting smoke more than the prescribed limit.
The Punjab Minister for Environment Begum Zakia Shahnawaz directed the raids after the smog blanketed the provincial metropolis for the last many days and other parts of the province to check the industries and factories playing a role in increasing air pollution. Further action is being initiated against the sealed units and their owners, the PED sources added.
It may be added that the Minister had directed all the Districts Environment Officers to keep a strict check on the factories contributing to environmental pollution and do not allow any factory to use substandard fuel in a meeting held the other day. She said that all the factories should also ensure use of wet scrubber (environment pollution control) devices. The Minister also deputed mobile laboratories of the Punjab Environment Department at different locations of the city to analyze environment pollution and its monitoring. The Minister also requested the industrialists to ensure use of pollution control devices in their industries and factories and not to use substandard fuel.
The meeting also urged the District Government Lahore and Lahore Waste Management Company not to burn waste in the open and also improve the methodology to dispose of the waste collected from the city. The meeting also decided to take steps for creating awareness amongst the masses about the prevailing situation.
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