SIALKOT: The police registered cases against owners and managers of nine more bricks kilns for spreading pollution in Sialkot district on Monday.

Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector Rana Fiaz told reporters cases were registered under sections 269, 270 and 271 of the Pakistan Penal Code. He said these brick kilns did not close in violation of government’s directions regarding closure of kilns to stem smog.

The arrested included Iqbal Ahmed, Riasat Ali, Mubarak Ali, Khursheed Ahmed, Allah Rakha, Imran, Bashir Ahmed, Luqman, Sikandar, Naveed, Nawaz Ahmed, Basharat Cheema , Liaqat Ali, Ghulam Abbas, Akhtar Hussain, Muhammad Salman and Abdul Rauf.

The EPA official said the kilns of the arrested people would remain sealed till they adopt safety measures.

Earlier, the police and EPA have sealed 27 kilns.

Kilns’ owners expressed grave concerns over the action against them.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018