LAHORE: The Environment Protection Department (EPD) will make all out efforts to reduce the adverse impact on environment with an aim to increase industrial and economic growth.

This was stated by the EPD Director Assessment Nasim-Ur-Reman on Sunday in a talk to APP.

He said that with the help and cooperation of Punjab government Rs. 2 billion has been allocated to give loan to industrial units for the installation of Environmental Emission Control Systems.

The loans would be given by the recommendations of Punjab Small Industries Corporation, he informed. The ‘Emission Control Systems’ would b installed before the start of next smog system.

Nasim said that during the last smog period, EPD squads had sealed 586 smoke-emitting industrial units and an fine of Rs.35 million was also imposed on them.

Furthermore, Nasim said that to avoid burning of wheat residues, the farmers were also being provided with modern harvester “Hepper Seed” to destroy crop residues, besides, transfer of all brick-kilns to zig-zag technology is also being ensured.

Noted environmentalist Mehmood Khalid Qamar said that as a result of industrial emissions, the green-house gases had blanketed the Lahore metropolis and its suburbs. These toxic gases trap the sun’s natural heat. This situation is rapidly leading to global warming and climate change at a fast pace, he said.

It may be mentioned here that as per World Health Organization (WHO), almost the entire global population breathes air that exceeds WHO air quality limits, and threatens their health.