People protest against factories in residential area

LAHORE
A large number of residents of Paris Colony, a locality of Northern Lahore, staged a protest demonstration against various government departments for allowing illegal industrial activities in the area, which are seriously affecting human health.
The demonstration was held outside the Lahore Press Club here Monday and a number of women and children also took part in it. The protesters alleged that officials of various government departments were protecting illegal factories and despite the chief minister’s directive, they were reluctant to take legal action against them.
They claimed that a lot of complaints had been lodged with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) Punjab, which had powers to seal these illegal factories under section 12 of Punjab Environment Protection Act 1997. The protesters chanted slogans against District Officer (Environment) and other officials for allegedly patronising these factories.
They claimed that around nine factories, including a marble cutting unit, alcohol producer and chemicals were established in the residential areas without getting NOC from EPD and Town Administration. The factories are not only source of pollution but also its offensive smell, heaps of garbage and loading/unloading of raw material are creating health hazards. Movement of factory workers in the area is also putting adverse social impacts on residents, they said.
They said that sometime back, EPD issued notices to all these illegal factories but later they were allowed to operate. They claimed that DO (Environment) in his report to DCO admitted that the factories were illegally constructed in the residential areas and were using big power generators without soundproof canopy. He reported that they burnt solid waste in streets and threw broken glass bottles in open plots. They have no environmental control over treatment of waste and smell. The factories were established in violation of buildings rules, health and safety issue and permanent sources of socio-environment problems for the public, he maintained.
The protesters said that over this report, two factories were sealed but later, the DCO Lahore passed orders for reopening of a lab on condition that the owner would take measures to resolve environment issue, traffic hazards and removal of over congestion of flammable material and provision of emergency exit. Similarly, the marble factory was given three months to shift. The residents claimed that DCO Lahore didn’t listen to the arguments of residents and passed reopening orders in their absence.
The protesters alleged that different officials of CDGL, EPD and TMA were protecting these illegal factories. They demanded the chief minister to visit the area. They said in case the chief minister didn’t visit their colony in two or three days, they would protest outside the Chief Minister House.
When contacted, DO (Environment) Younis Zahid said that he had taken action against the violators as per his powers. He said he could not seal the factories on permanent basis because it needed orders and approval of higher authorities.