EDP holds meeting for implementations of anti smog measures

Provincial minister Environment Protection Department (EDP) M.Rizwan chaired high level meeting of cabinet sub-committee on Smog for implementations of anti smog measures at committee room of civil secretariat on Thursday.

The secretary EPD Saima Saeed present agenda of the 2nd meeting and briefed to the minister about follow up of actions taken on the decisions of first meeting.

She briefed strategy and action plan for controlling vehicular pollution, checking fuel adulteration, checking air pollution from stone crushing and cement mining plants, action plan against use of sub-standard fuels and proposals to check air pollution for combating smog.

Saima Saeed also told to the house about TORs of the committee and shared emission report according to FAO.

She also present a report about Stone Crushers, told to the minister that major clusters of stone crushers exist in Sargodha, Rawalpindi, DG Khan & Mianwali, action had been taken against the crusher of Sargodha, EPOs had been issued to all stone Crushers of DG Khan, cases of almost all crushers of Rawalpindi had already been decided by PET, while implementation of the decisions was in process and water sprinkle system was installed on all crushers of Mianwali.

Representative of EPA told to the minister that conversion of old technology brick kilns to zig zag a summary for approval of 31-12-2020 as final date of conversion of kilns was being initiated, 516 kilns converted to ZZK, field officer had been directed for persuading and action against defaulters,2394 EPOs had been issued. Kilns of Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan and Nankana sahib may be converted to ZZT by 31st March 2020, Kilns of remaining 13 districts of the red zone may be converted by 30th June 2020 and after 31st December 2020 no old technology may be allowed to operate.

On this occasion representatives of finance, industry, transport, agriculture, forestry, environment, LG&CD, SH&ME and P&SH were present in the meeting.