The Pakistan Steel Melters Association (PSMA) has appreciated the Punjab chief minister's intervention for opening of closed furnaces to avert price hike in steel-related products. The association's patron-in-chief, Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan, and chairman Mian Ahmad Hassan in their joint statement on Friday said that most of the furnaces are being run on electricity rather than other fuels.
The furnaces which are potential consumers of the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) were not involved in polluting the environment. However, smoke emitting vehicles are major source of pollution in the city, they added. They further said the decision would not only rescue the steel industry but would also save the workers from unemployment. They also welcomed the government's two-month relaxation for installation of air cleaners and said it is better option than closing the units till the installation of cleaners as these units employ over 700 daily wagers.