Kilns owners to be given loans to move them to the new technology

Provincial Minister for EPD M. Rizwan has said that the owners of brick kilns need to be trained in the use of new technology to control air pollution, especially factor of smog, which has been badly affected the environment, while the main cause of pollution in the country is the emission of smoke from the vehicles and steps are also being taken to reduce it.

He said that the closure of kilns or Eliminating jobs is not our agenda perhaps the PTI government has decided that the owners of the kilns will be given loans on easy terms to help them move on to the new technology and hopefully for the use of Euro Petrol will reduce emissions of smoke In Lahore and other major cities of Punjab. he expressed these views while chairing a high level departmental meeting in the Environment Committee Room here on Monday.

The secretary EPD Slaman Aijaz briefed to the minister that to evaluate situation of environment, the Stations are operating in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faislabad and Multan while at districts or tehsils levels Zig Zag technology being introduced and important steps being taken to transfer all kilns to zig zag technology in the future.

DG Environment Tanvir Varaich said that Strict prohibition is being ensured under Section 144 of the burning crop residues or waste etc, while for the first time in the country’s history, the land 2500 acres retrieved from mafia occupied in Lahore and a forest will be established on regarding drive of Green Pakistan.

Various awareness campaigns are being conducted in the public, while keeping the water and air clean EPA agency is doing its best for the this purpose and so far, there are 63 kilns transferred in news technology being operating in Lahore, while 96 kilns have been temporarily stopped working till December 20.

All the owners of brick kilns has been warned to move on to new technology otherwise will not be allowed to further work. He further briefed that the commission set up by the honorable Lahore High Court, yesterday met with representatives of industries at LCCI and directed them to adopt SOPs to control the environment pollution.

The minister appreciated the efforts done by department so for and said that smog badly disrupted the daily life, therefore a sustainable policy to prevent it to be devised. He emphasized that the tree cutting process must be stopped at any cost to secure Pakistan’s future while the Plant for Pakistan campaign has to be successful to resolve problem like smog. On this occasion all the concerned officers of the department were present.