LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to take action against the factories and industrial units causing air pollution.

The court also sought assistance from the petitioner's counsel Abuzar Salman Niazi as well as the government's law officers on the effectiveness of smog towers if installed in the provincial metropolis. The court also directed the EPA to furnish a fresh report on conversion of brick kilns to zigzag technology and implementation of the ban on the use/sale/manufacturing of polythene bags. The court also directed the police to assist the officials of EPA in operation against the units polluting the environment.

The court, however, in the backdrop of conflict between former IGP Shoaib Dastagir and newly-appointed CCPO Umar Sheikh, observed why the CCPO be asked for the security as he did not even listen to his boss (IGP). The court therefore ordered the DIG operations to provide police support to the EPA in its operations.

The court was hearing a petition of a citizen Haroon Farooq on multiple issues relating to the environment. The hearing was adjourned till next Friday.

Earlier, an official told the court that the agency faced resistance during its operations against the industrial units and the police did not cooperate with the teams too. He urged the court to order the CCPO of Lahore to extend police support to the EPA's teams. Asked about the imposition of section 144 against burning of the stubble, the EPA official said effective steps were being taken to ensure the ban on the activity to control smog in the coming winter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020