Lahore: On Thursday, the Lahore High Court barred all brick kiln businesses to extract sand without first obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the mines department, according to news sources. The judgement was passed in light of the fact that mines and minerals are owned by the government.
The court ordered the provincial government to enact legislation that will formally bring kiln operations under the scrutiny of the Punjab Mines and Mineral Concession Rules 2002.
In a 21-page order, Justice Tariq Salim Sheikh directed the Punjab government to make sure that the brick-kiln industry implements zigzag technology, and asked secretary mines department to deny the brick kilns the right to excavate sand without NOCs.
The court observed that all minerals obtained from above or below the surface are the property of the government. It further asked the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to uphold the environment protection laws against the kilns that emit pollution and contribute to smog.
The appointed amicus curiae Advocate Sheraz Zaka referred to the Punjab Land Revenue Act 1967 that mentioned that mines and minerals are the property of the government. He stated that, as sand was public property, it cannot be used by private parties without the permission.
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