QUETTA: The Environ­ment Protection Agency (EPA) and district administration jointly conducted raids in the eastern bypass area of Quetta and sealed illegal crushing plants.

Officials said on Thursday that a team headed by Special Magistrate Bahadur Khan and EPA Inspector Asmat Shah raided the illegal crushing plants involved in spreading pollution in the eastern bypass area. “All the four illegal crushing plants have been sealed,” EPA officials said, adding that plants were closed down under the Environment Act, 2012.

The action was taken in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Court and directives of Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani.

All the divisional commissioners have been direc­ted to take stern action aga­inst illegal crushing plants in their jurisdictions, which were causing distress to the environment. The campaign aims to control rapid increase of air pollution.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2019