EPA demolishes 197 brick kilns in month-long anti-smog crackdown

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has intensified its pre-smog enforcement and pollution mitigation operations

LAHORE:  The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has intensified its pre-smog enforcement and pollution mitigation operations across the province, demolishing 197 non-compliant brick kilns, sealing 163 units and registering 162 first information reports (FIRs) during a month-long crackdown aimed at curbing emissions ahead of the peak smog season. The campaign combines extensive field inspections with drone surveillance, special night squads and targeted anti-smog measures to identify pollution sources and ensure compliance with environmental laws.

Official enforcement data for the period from September 28 to October 27, 2026, shows that the agency conducted thousands of inspections targeting brick kilns, industrial units, plastic burning, commercial facilities and construction sites, alongside measures to control agricultural fires and suppress dust at pollution hotspots.

Director General Environment Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh said the department was pursuing a data-driven, zero-tolerance strategy to protect public health. He said enforcement teams were using field monitoring and surveillance to identify violations, while special squads remained active during the day and at night to prevent polluters from escaping inspection.

According to the figures, EPA squads carried out 11,580 inspections of brick kilns, issuing 314 smog notices, demolishing 197 non-compliant kilns, sealing 163 units and registering 162 FIRs. Fines totalling Rs40.7 million were imposed during the reporting period.

The action against brick kilns is a key component of the province’s pre-smog preparations, as emissions from units operating in violation of environmental requirements can contribute to deteriorating air quality. The scale of the crackdown reflects the department’s focus on preventing pollution before conditions become more severe during winter.

Industrial pollution was another major target, with officials conducting 6,650 inspections of industrial sites. These resulted in the demolition of 22 non-compliant units, issuance of 333 smog notices, sealing of 191 premises, registration of 15 FIRs and collection of Rs28 million in fines.

The agency also stepped up action against plastic burning, which releases harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. During 6,064 inspections, officials issued 678 notices, sealed 152 premises, confiscated 45,100 kilogrammes of plastic and imposed fines amounting to Rs2.0015 million.

In a separate monitoring exercise focused on industrial emissions, field teams inspected 4,204 facilities to assess compliance with requirements for installing suction hoods. Officials reported that 1,863 units had installed the mandatory equipment, while 1,388 notices were issued to violators. The department also sealed 333 non-compliant sites and imposed penalties totalling Rs2.0045 million.

Drone surveillance and special night squads have been incorporated into the department’s monitoring strategy to strengthen detection of pollution sources and support enforcement teams in the field. The surveillance operations help identify suspected sources of emissions, while ground teams follow up on reported locations and take action where violations are established. Night operations also focus on pollution-generating activities that may continue after routine inspection hours, ensuring that industrial and commercial premises remain subject to monitoring beyond the daytime.

The suction hoods required at industrial facilities are intended to capture smoke and emissions at their source, reducing the release of pollutants into the surrounding environment. The enforcement measures aim to ensure that industrial and commercial operators adopt the required pollution-control arrangements rather than rely on corrective action after violations have occurred.

Construction-related dust was also brought under the enforcement drive. EPA officers visited 397 union councils, issued 181 notices, sealed 20 locations and collected Rs25,000 in fines. Mist sprinklers were installed at 49 sites to control dust generated by construction activities and other sources. The measures seek to curb fugitive dust arising from exposed soil, construction work and vehicle movement, which can add to particulate pollution in urban areas. Water pollution inspections were also conducted, with 56 visits resulting in 29 notices and the sealing of two units.

Alongside urban and industrial enforcement, the Punjab government has deployed 67 Quick Response Units (QRUs) across major agricultural belts to tackle incidents of stubble burning. The teams use satellite-based fire detection, ground intelligence and field monitoring to identify hotspots and reach affected locations promptly. They are tasked with extinguishing crop-residue fires, taking action against those responsible and preventing open-field burning. The initiative is intended to limit agricultural smoke that can combine with transport and industrial emissions to worsen regional smog.

The agency is also operating anti-smog guns extensively across Lahore under a targeted deployment strategy. According to Mr Sheikh, the placement of the equipment is linked to ground pollution levels, air quality index readings, particulate-matter monitoring and prevailing wind conditions. The high-capacity mist cannons release fine water droplets intended to bind with suspended dust particles and bring some particulate matter to the ground. Teams are deploying the equipment at selected locations, including major thoroughfares, high-traffic corridors, industrial peripheries and dust-prone construction areas.

Mr Sheikh said anti-smog equipment deployment complemented enforcement against pollution sources rather than replacing the need to control emissions at their origin. He warned that heavy fines, FIRs and immediate sealing of non-compliant units would continue, adding that enforcement squads, drone surveillance teams and quick-response units would remain on alert.

With the smog season approaching, the department’s strategy combines inspections, penalties, demolitions, closures, aerial surveillance, night operations, agricultural fire response and targeted dust suppression. Sustained enforcement, compliance with environmental standards and the prevention of emissions at their source will remain crucial to limiting pollution and protecting public health.