LAHORE: The Punjab government is enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against violations of environmental laws, with simultaneous enforcement operations running across the brick kiln, industrial, plastic and construction sectors, Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in an official statement issued on Saturday.
The action is being taken on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the statement said, as part of the government’s stated objective of a clean, green and pollution-free Punjab.
Monitoring, inspections and enforcement measures against major sources of pollution had been further strengthened, the minister said, to ensure a clean and healthy environment for citizens.
In the brick kiln sector, 166 kilns were inspected during the enforcement round. One kiln was demolished and three were sealed over environmental violations, while fines of Rs300,000 were imposed on kiln owners.
Brick kilns remain among the most closely watched emission sources in the province because of their contribution to particulate pollution, and the sector has been the subject of repeated conversion drives towards cleaner firing technology in recent years.
A parallel crackdown on industrial pollution is continuing across the province, the minister said. A total of 114 industrial units were inspected and seven were sealed for violating environmental regulations, with fines of Rs400,000 imposed on units found in breach of the law.
Sealing is the sharpest tool available to the Environmental Protection Agency short of prosecution, since it halts production until the unit demonstrates compliance — typically through functioning effluent treatment or emission control systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency Punjab is also acting to control plastic pollution and curb the use of illegal plastic, the statement said. Inspectors visited 132 locations, confiscated 1,515 kilograms of illegal plastic and sealed 20 premises. Fines of Rs180,000 were imposed for violations of plastic regulations.
Enforcement against banned single-use and substandard plastic bags has been a recurring provincial priority, with sealing of manufacturing and distribution points used to interrupt supply rather than penalise retail users alone.
Effective measures are also being taken to prevent fugitive dust emissions from construction sites, the minister said. During an inspection of one site, a notice was issued over the violation and a mist sprinkler was installed to control dust emissions.
Construction dust is a significant contributor to the coarse particulate load in urban Punjab, particularly in Lahore, and mist sprinklers are among the standard mitigation measures required at active sites.
The enforcement round comes ahead of the annual smog season, when air quality across central Punjab typically deteriorates as lower temperatures, stagnant air and crop residue burning combine with year-round emissions from kilns, industry and traffic. Pre-season action against fixed emission sources is intended to reduce the baseline load before those seasonal factors take hold.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said strict enforcement of environmental laws would continue in line with the chief minister’s vision. “Those causing environmental pollution will not be given any concession, and strict action will be taken against violators in accordance with the law,” she said.
The Punjab government was utilising all available resources to protect the environment, control pollution and provide citizens with a clean and healthy environment, she added, saying effective monitoring and immediate action against violations would continue across the province with full force.
Inspection, sealing and fine figures in this report are as issued by the Punjab government. The Lahore Times has sought disaggregated district-wise data from the Environmental Protection Agency Punjab.
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