Brick kilns to be closed from Nov 3

Rawalpindi: Environment Protection Department (EPD) has again extended the date of closure of all the brick-kilns by one week to avoid smog in the days to come.

EPD Chairman Punjab Dr Pervaiz Hassan after successful negotiations with Brick kilns Association announced that all brick kilns in the province would be closed from November 3, keeping in view the weather condition, a press release issued by Directorate of Public Relations Monday said.

Earlier the department had decided that all brick kilns across Punjab would be shut down from October 27. It was also decided in the meeting that from now onwards, only those kilns would be allowed to operate which would use the environment-friendly Zigzag technology. Zigzag technology helps reduce environmental pollution.

The biggest reason behind smog is the environmental pollution and smoke from kilns and factories. It is to be mentioned here that the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench has sought reply from Environment Protection Agency (EPA) of the closure of brick kiln industry for two months and fixed the date of hearing December 18.