ISLAMABAD, April 26: Taking advantage of sudden halt to the judicial activism due to the ongoing judicial crisis, a number of steel mills disallowed Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) officials to enter their premises for routine monitoring, Dawn has learnt.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry taking suo motu action against the reported increase in air pollution in the capital city had directed the Director General Pak-EPA, Asif Shujah, to take necessary action.

Only recently, when a Pak-EPA team went to S H steel mills to see whether it was following the required criteria in its expansion, they were not allowed to enter the factory, an official close to the development told Dawn.

Similarly, another steel mill refused to cooperate with the agency’s team to carry out inspection of the facility for its data collection.

When contacted, DG, Pak-EPA confirmed that at least two factory owners had refused to cooperate with the team.

However, he explained that the issue was taken quite seriously and complaint was lodged with the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).

On the request of the agency, the ICCI arranged a meeting with the steel mill owner who have promised not

to repeat the offence again, the DG said.

In response to a question, Mr Asif said that though majority of the steel mills had anti-pollution equipment in place, but they keep it off most of the time, therefore, the agency official had to visit them during odd hours.

Expressing his exuberance over the induction of Japan funded state-of-the-art air quality monitoring lab, Pak-EPA chief explained that with the help of this new lab, “we will be able to check the amount of emissions spew by steel mills with going inside their premises.”

“We are planning to keep this lab which at present is under trial, within limits of the Islamabad industrial area around the clock which will help us to collect reliable data on air,” Mr Asif said.

To another question, he claimed, with the Supreme Court’s suo motu action the agency felt emboldened and taking every possible measure to check pollution not only in the capital city but also in the country.

Not long ago, the Pak-EPA has issued a couple of Environmental Protection Order (EPO) to factories who were continuously flouting Pak-EPA rules, he said, adding, “now we have decided to take immediate actions against the violators.”

Under the EPO a fine of up to Rs1 million could be imposed on the respondent and in case of continued violation, an additional fine of Rs100,000 could be levied for every single day during which contravention continue.

The environmental tribunal if satisfied with the agency’s observations can sentence a factory owner for a term which may be extended up to two years.

The tribunal can also order closure of a factory or confiscation of equipment and material used against the provision of the environment protection act.

Over the last few years, the federal capital is witnessing increased air and water pollution. Islamabad was once considered to be the cleanest city in the country but now it is increasingly losing its natural beauty.