Substandard products: SEPA closes down edible oil factory

Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has closed down an edible oil factory which was 'illegally' extracting oil from various residue parts of slaughtered animals near Cattle Colony in Port Qasim.

"The factory was extracting oil [from animal offal and limbs] in bulk quantity, and the product was being transported to the local market for packaging," an official of SEPA told Business Recorder.

However, the agency and the city police remained failed to arrest the culprits who were playing with the consumers' health by supplying substandard products with impunity.

He said that SEPA has to seek assistance from the local police for conducting raids, as it has no force to act and arrest the violators.

He said the people on the spot informed SEPA team that edible oil being produced in the factory was supplied to various markets of Karachi.

The technical team of SEPA, Karachi conducted an inspection of the factory and found it extracting oil from various residue parts of slaughtered animals without any authorization, he said.

During the last three days, over a 100 small-size illegal brick kilns in Khuda Ki Basti were also closed down. SEPA team found all the illegal brick kilns burning used tyres' pieces and clothes as fuel causing massive air emission in surrounding area.

SEPA has also issued an Environmental Protection Order (EPO) to a construction company directing it to stop construction of its multi-storey building in Bath Island Clifton Block 7 because of 'not filing' its environment impact assessment (EIA).

DG, SEPA Naeem Ahmed Mughal pointed out in EPO that the builder of subject building was earlier offered an opportunity of personal hearing on 20th October 2019 and was given one month's time to submit its EIA.

Subsequently on non-submission of required document, the builder has been directed to stop construction of referred building till its environmental approval is obtained. Mughal also warned that on failure to comply with directives specified in EPO, prosecution shall be initiated in the concerned court of law against the proponent.