Over 105 brick kiln owners booked for SOPs violations

MULTAN  -  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) got reg­istered cases against over 105 brick kilns own­ers and demolished 10 brick kilns for not using zigzag technology during the last two days. Talk­ing to APP here on Sunday, EPA Deputy Director Hameed Akhtar said that teams of the department along with district administration and agricul­ture department were on surveillance jointly to prevent smog. He said the EPA teams were ensur­ing monitoring of brick kilns and industrial units while a squad had been deployed for surveillance of stubble burning. He further informed that seven cases were registered and accused were appre­hended on the spot over zigzag technology viola­tions. Likewise, three FIRs were got registered over stubble burning. As many as 11 outlaws were booked for interfering in the government mat­ters and threatening the team of the department, and raids were being conducted by the police to ensure the arrest of accused. Furthermore, the department, along with a team of Makhdoom Ra­sheed police, sealed six factories by carrying out late-night operations. While, 3 kilns were sealed in Kadirpur Raan area and a case was also registered. The EPA official stated that they took all necessary preventive measures to reduce smoke emissions and now it converted into fog. He maintained that Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was gradually improving. The department in collaboration with other organizations planted saplings in the city to prevent smog, he added.

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