EPA Punjab asked to enforce Pollution Charge Rules

The Lahore High Court has told the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the rules of pollution charge by forming an inquiry committee with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The agency has also been told to launch a report by March 25.
On Friday, the court expressed its surprise when the agency's counsel said there had never been any implementation of the pollution charge rules while appearing in a petition by Muhammad Naeem questioning vires of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Initial Environmental Examination rules. The court also told the government to act against factory owners and those businessmen flouting the rules and refusing to pay a penalty.
Petitioner's Counsel, Sheraz Zaka, earlier told the court that the agency and other authorities had failed to perform their statutory obligations, and there was no evidence of the implementation of the 2001 Pollution Charge Rules. He argued that Lahore was turning into one of the most polluted cities of the world because of lack of implementation of the rules and that after the Paris agreement signed in 2015 to curb the pollution and environmental degradation, it was utmost necessary to implement them and adhere with the United Nations climate change convention of which Pakistan was also a signatory in 1992.