EPA announces fresh crackdown on polluters ahead of smog season

In an effort to control air pollution and reduce the intensity of smog during the upcoming winter season, the Punjab Environmental

LAHORE: In an effort to control air pollution and reduce the intensity of smog during the upcoming winter season, the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a province-wide crackdown on sources contributing to deteriorating air quality.

The agency has planned comprehensive pre-smog inspections across Punjab, with all field formations directed to strengthen enforcement and take immediate action against activities contributing to air pollution.

According to an EPA spokesperson, newly appointed Director General Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh issued instructions to field officers during a meeting focused on preparations for the approaching smog season.

The DG directed officers to remain active in their respective jurisdictions and take prompt action against entities found emitting excessive smoke or pollutants. He stressed that enforcement efforts should cover all sectors responsible for air pollution rather than being restricted to a particular category of polluters.

The spokesperson said field officers had been instructed to identify pollution hotspots, conduct regular inspections and ensure that violations were dealt with under the applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Sheikh said the department would adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards visible smoke and excessive emissions, particularly during the period leading up to the smog season. He directed officials to focus on preventive measures and address sources of pollution before air quality reaches hazardous levels.

The EPA chief further instructed field formations to monitor areas where pollution levels are high and take action against businesses and industrial units that fail to comply with environmental requirements.

Brick kilns were identified as one of the major areas of concern during the meeting. Sheikh directed officials to ensure that no brick kiln operates without compliant zig-zag technology.

Field officers were asked to identify kilns that are still operating without the required technology or otherwise violating environmental regulations and take action against them in accordance with the law.

The EPA also directed industrial units across the province to install and properly operate emission-control systems. Officials were instructed to inspect factories and verify whether pollution-control mechanisms were installed and functioning effectively.

Industrial units found releasing pollutants beyond permissible limits, or operating without the required emission-control arrangements, would face action under environmental laws, according to the directives.

The EPA has also been directed to maintain regular field monitoring so that violations can be identified at an early stage. Officials were told that enforcement should remain active throughout the pre-smog period instead of being intensified only after the air quality situation becomes critical.

The latest directives come as Punjab prepares for another winter in which smog and hazardous air pollution have repeatedly affected major urban centres, particularly Lahore and surrounding areas.

However, similar pre-smog crackdowns and enforcement campaigns have been announced by EPA officials in previous years before the onset of winter. Despite these repeated measures, residents continue to face prolonged periods of poor air quality and hazardous smog.

Citizens and environmental experts have frequently called for consistent enforcement, stronger monitoring and long-term measures to address major sources of air pollution.

The effectiveness of the latest campaign will therefore depend on sustained implementation of the directives and action against violators across the province, rather than temporary enforcement drives ahead of the smog season.