LHC orders imposing fine on smoke-emitting factories

LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court on Monday directed imposing fines on the factories that emit polluted smoke repeatedly in a smog remediation case. 

The court directed imposing a fine of Rs20,000 on commercial users and Rs10,000 on domestic users, and remarked that the DG should inform the officers if a factory emitting polluted smoke was working in someone’s area action would be taken against it.

The court directed the sealed factories to approach the Judicial Water Commission for de-sealing. Affidavits have been taken from the officers of the environment, action will be taken against those officers who violate the rules. The court ordered Iftikhar Steel Mill to pay a fine of one million rupees. Member LDA said that 36 cafes were sealed in Johar Town after 10 pm. The cafe owners took the order to de-seal from the high court. A written order to seal the cafe should be submitted in the next hearing, the court said, and inquired as to when the artificial rain was being rained. The government lawyer said that the planning was in progress, and the judge said that he would not allow spending public money. You should take steps to get rid of smog, there are many, we don’t know what to make of this city, and development projects are going on during smog. Advocate Commissioner Lahore said that we have been notified to work on development projects at night. A further hearing will be held on December 8.