TAXILA: The local administration has sealed as many as 10 brick kilns here in Hassanabdal for emitting excessive smoke in order to control smog during the winter season.

These kilns were sealed in Burhan, Khuda, Ghershen, Pathargarh and adjacent areas during a crackdown on the brick kilns polluting the environment as well as creating smog.

Cases have also been registered and fines imposed on the kiln owners as smog has been declared as a calamity under the Punjab National Calamities (prevention & relief) Act, 1958.

Sources said that a team of local administration led by assistant commissioner Arif Qureshi along with Environment Protection Department (EPD) launched the crackdown as the provincial government had decided to shut down all brick kilns by Dec 31 in south Punjab at the advent of winter.

The assistant commissioner told mediapersons that the kiln owners had been asked repeatedly to install the environment-friendly zigzag technology.

He said that the brick kilns using traditional methods would not be allowed to operate in the area and create smog.

“Heavy fines are being imposed over activities, including burning of solid waste, tyres, rubber and plastics, and sale and use of substandard fuels besides smoke-emitting vehicles,” Mr Qureshi said.

He said kilns using bull trench technology emitted excessive smoke into the air, which caused pollution.

Smog has started to spread in the Potohar region while the next three months are crucial as fog has started to appear in the morning times.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2022