SWABI: The district administration has closed several stone crushing plants in Swabi, telling the owners to get ‘no objection certificate’ from Environmental Protection Agency, according to sources.

They said that the owners of the stone crushing plants must get NOC from EPA otherwise they would not be allowed to continue their work.

The reasons behind the closure of the plants could not be known immediately.

However, some of the officials said that the owners of plants were told to get NOC due to pollution hazard created by their units.

Sources said that the action was taken on the directive of provincial government and all crushing plants were closed except those, who got NoC from EPA earlier.

They said that a number of plant owners had visited the office of EPA but returned frustrated and perplexed.

Gul Zamin Shah, an owner of three crushing plants, said that he had applied for NOC last year and EPA officials also visited his plants.

“The officials had agreed that there was no problem at our plants but despite that EPA refused to issue the NOC,” he said.

He said that the action against stone crushing plants was taken across the province on the directives of chief secretary.

“There are about 5,000 stone crushing plants in the province where thousands workers earn their livelihood,” he added.

Mohammad Farooq of Palodand said that he owned a small plant where about 60 men worked.

After the closure of the plant, the workers were advised to stay at homes, he added.

He said that closure of the plants would affect the ongoing projects including completion of Swat Expressway.

He said that government should adopt a policy and they would work according to it.

“We are peaceful workers and ready to follow the policy,” said Mr Farooq.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2018