TAXILA: Residents of a private housing society on Sunday protested against coal grading units illegally established on Bahatar Road that are polluting the air and causing health problems.

The protesters called for the immediate closure of the plants. They said coal was being transferred from different mines to the area in heavy trucks and then unloaded, graded, uploaded and transported out. The frequent shifting of graded coal in trucks is emitting coal and dust in the area causing health and environmental issues.

Marghoob Alam, president of the housing society, called upon the director general of the Environment Protection Agency, the commissioner Rawalpindi and the deputy commissioner of Attock to take notice of the issue.

“On the one hand the government has launched a clean and green Punjab initiative and on the other illegal coal grading units are operating in the residential area without any check.”

They said the heavy vehicles, especially during office and school hours, also caused blockade of Bahtar-Wah Road.
“No mitigation measures have been adopted by the plant operators to control emission of smoke and noise, said one of the protesters, Mohammad Farooq.

Sher Afzal said exposure to asphalt fumes was causing breathing problems and skin irritation among the residents.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2019