Violating environmental laws 8 industrial units closed in Haripur

HARIPUR: The district administration on Thursday sealed eight industrial units for allegedly violating environmental laws, official sources said here on Thursday.

The sources said that there were growing public complaints against the industries of Hattar Economic Zone of emitting chemical laden smoke and fumes and flushing out untreated and hazardous waste in the water courses.

On the direction of Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir, the assistant commissioner accompanied by Deputy Director Industrial Development, officials of the Environment Protection Department and police visited the HEZ and sealed eight units for violating the Environmental Protection Act 1997.

When approached for comments, Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir confirmed the report and added that he had received a number of complaints from the residents of neighbouring localities and the commuters about the unchecked emissions and untreated industrial waste by different industrial units and got them warned of action through EPA and directly. “The owners defied the restrictions under the EP laws and did not install emissions control systems despite repeated warnings,” he added.

He said that the administration took stern action under the relevant laws and would not hesitate taking similar action against the environmental culprits.