MULTAN:The Environment Protection Department, during an ongoing drive to avert smog, sealed 30 industrial units and brick kilns, and imposed fines of more than one million rupees on violators for causing air pollution.
Assistant Director Environment Hameed Akhtar, while talking to reporter here on Sunday, said the inspection of the industrial units, smoke-emitting vehicles and brick kilns was being ensured on daily basis as preventive measures to prevent smog.
He further said various departmental teams were conducting raids on a regular basis while a special squad had also been constituted by the provincial government considering the worsening situation of air quality in the district.
He said strict measures were being taken as “smog has been declared a calamity” in terms of the Punjab National Calamities (prevention & relief) Act 1958.
He said they had inspected 20 industrial units last week while two units were sealed over violation and Rs 3,50,000 fine was also imposed on them.
Likewise, 46 brick kilns were also checked and 28 were sealed over violation while Rs 6,50,000 fine was also imposed.
The EPD official further informed that 321 vehicles were checked and 73 were challaned while a fine of Rs 47,000 was imposed over emitting smoke.
He said the smog situation was under control across the district due to the implementation of timely measures and hoped that it would remain normal.
A special control room had been established at EPD headquarters to monitor the activities regarding smog prevention, Hameed Akhtar added.