LAHORE: Punjab Environmental Protection Department (EPD) sealed 170 brick kilns, issued notices to 705 others and registered cases against 169 persons for different violations of environmental laws over the past 15 days.

Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement on Monday that EPD officials inspected a total of 4,488 brick kilns in various districts during a province-wide campaign to check environmental pollution and took this action against the violators.

She said the officials slapped a total fine of Rs2.1 million on the owners of brick kilns found guilty of environmental law violations. Similarly, police were also approached for the registration of FIRs against 169 kiln owners for violations.

She said that brick kiln owners were given a deadline to adopt zigzag technology, adding that the chief minister has said that only those following the governments directions would be allowed to operate kilns.

Every effort would be made to protect people from pollution and strict action would be taken on violations of the Smog Rules 2023, she added.

The senior minister further stated that a grand operation against environmental laws’ violations has been launched.

In the next phase, inspections would be conducted to check emissions of toxic substances and smoke by industries.

Traditional brick kilns were causing smog, resulting in respiratory diseases and other health issues. In this regard, the industrial sector was urged to utilise modern technology for a clean environment, she concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2024