LAHORE: In a major push to combat air pollution ahead of the smog season, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has intensified enforcement operations against brick kilns, industrial units, plastic manufacturers, construction sites and other major sources of pollution.
EPA Punjab Director General Syed Musa Raza chaired a meeting with directors of all EPA directorates and field officers from across Punjab to review enforcement strategies, district-wise preparedness and compliance targets. He directed all regional offices to launch an aggressive enforcement campaign, enhance field monitoring and ensure strict implementation of environmental laws to minimise emissions before the onset of smog.
He personally inspected brick kilns in different districts to review compliance with environmental regulations and assess ongoing enforcement activities. He said brick kilns remain one of the major contributors to winter air pollution and their strict regulation is essential for improving air quality.
The DG also visited fog cannon machines site and directed the fog cannon operations team to ensure their uninterrupted operation at all large under-construction sites.
Mr Raza sought inspection of heavy transport vehicles (HTVs) at city entry and exit points, saying that smoke-emitting vehicles significantly contribute to deteriorating urban air quality. Special checking squads have been directed to monitor commercial and freight vehicles, conduct emissions testing and take legal action against vehicles exceeding prescribed emission standards.
According to enforcement data released by EPA Punjab for Jan 1 to July 25, 2026, brick kilns remained the primary focus of the provincial crackdown as EPA teams visited 45,736 brick kilns, demolished 777, sealed 419, registered 762 FIRs and imposed fines amounting to Rs67.7m.
Industrial units constituted the second-largest enforcement category. The EPA officials visited 27,384 industrial units, sealed 694, demolished 272, registered 175 FIRs, and imposed fines worth Rs123m for environmental violations.
Against plastic pollution, the EPA Punjab carried out 18,293 inspections, issued 1,989 notices, confiscated 229,713 prohibited plastic items, registered 66 FIRs, sealed 2,725 premises, and imposed fines totalling Rs22.9m.
Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2026
