Lahore: The ban placed by Environment Protection Agency (EPA) on 156 kilns set up in the city has been lifted, reported a news source. The ban was imposed on October 20 and it lasted till December 31, 2018, with an aim to keep smog levels under control. Please note: the ban on kilns operating in green zones was back in force in the last week of November.
The removal of the ban has been greeted by the labor force associated with brick production, as they had faced difficult financial times in the last two weeks. In response to the reduced production, rates of bricks in Punjab had also gone up; which is now expected to settle at original prices.
In order to combat environmental pollution and smog, the EPA also recommended kiln owners to shift their setups to ‘Zig-Zag’ system. The modern Zig-Zag technique reduces smoke emissions from chimneys by 70%, and is thus considered environment-friendly.
The ban in some cities is yet to be lifted. Kilns in Islamabad are to remain shut till January 15, 2019. To enforce its orders, the EPA team raided five kilns in sector I-16 and H-16, and then shut them down.
