Multan: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its decision to provide loans to kiln owners in order to facilitate the conversion of their traditional business operations to zigzag technology, a news source reported. To facilitate this measure, the EPA has requested the Punjab government to issue funds worth PKR 25 billion.
The requested amount will be spent on the provision of loans to 10,000 kiln owners, and these individuals will convert their brick-production units to the zigzag technology. At the moment, only one of the existing 300 kilns in Multan has been converted to the proposed new technology.
Following a poor response from a majority of the kiln owners in the past, the EPA now seeks to issue loans to kiln owners on flexible terms. Further, the agency plans to hold training sessions on brick production for the kiln owners. These programmes are expected to be arranged by the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA).
The EPA has already introduced several measures with an aim to address environmental concerns caused by smog. Previously, it had announced the closure of kilns till year end – and had decided to initiate legal proceedings against factories emitting pollutants.
