PESHAWAR, Jan 21: The NWFP environmental tribunal on Saturday ordered sealing of a brick kiln charged with polluting the atmosphere in Nowshera.

The tribunal — comprising its chairman Justice Abdur Rauf Lughmani and member (legal) Syed Wajahat Ali Shah — also took exception to non-implementation of its order by the Nowshera DPO. It directed the Nowshera district and sessions judge to take action against the police official under relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The DPO has not been executing a summons order issued by the tribunal to the owner of Bilal Brick Kiln. The DPO has also not offered a reply to the court.

Earlier, despite repeated notices, the kiln owner failed to appear before the tribunal and it ordered that the summon should be executed through the DPO.

The tribunal fixed Feb 18 for the next hearing.

The tribunal has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to seal the brick kiln situated in Nowshera Kalan.

The tribunal, notified by the federal government in September 2004, has been functioning since April 2005.