ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change on Friday informed the Senate that two steel mills operating in industrial area of federal capital have been sealed for polluting the environment.
Responding to a calling attention notice, the minister said, these mills were operating in violation of the Environment Protection Act and the directives of the Supreme Court, therefore, both of the mills were closed by issuing Environmental Protection order.
Senator Sherry Rehman had drawn the attention of the minister towards illegal operations by two steel mills in federal capital resulting in lethal air pollution and smog in capital the territory.
She had also mentioned to 2010 order of the Supreme Court that directed to close down certain steel industries operating in capital territory because they have been using old tyres and plastic for steel melting causing hazardous air pollution.
The minister both of these mills had been operating secretly at night in violation of the relevant laws that made Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency to issue an order to close these mills until they install pollution filters as well as dust monitoring systems.
He also stated that these mills had failed to comply with the requirements mentioned to them under the law even after repeated correspondence so these were closed on February 28, 2017.
