Notice served on Margalla stone crushers

ISLAMABAD Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (PAK-EPA), an attached department of the Ministry of Environment, has served notices on owners of 11 stone crushing machines installed at Margalla Hills in the jurisdiction of the Capital for causing serious environmental degradation, it is learnt. Realising the fact that the stone crushing business at the area of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) is causing air pollution, the Ministry of Environment along with concerned departments has taken initiative and made an inclusive plan for complete closure of the quarrying business. According to decided strategy in this regard action would be taken on today (19th August) against all the stone crushers under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad. During operation electricity connections of stone crushers would be disconnected for ceasing the activity. It may be mentioned that so far, several meetings of the departments concerned including the Ministry of Environment, its implementation agency Pak-EPA, Punjab Mineral Development Corporation and officials of the other relevant departments had been deputed for protecting the area from environmental decay. The owners of the business had also been directed several times for ceasing their operations, but to no avail. In a bid to put an end to these activities causing severe environmental perilous, the concerned departments had taken just a symbolic action in the recent past. The action was taken as a part of a phase-wise plan, which had been jointly developed by the Federal Environment Protection Agency (PAK-EPA), Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

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