Environment Protection Department (EPD) has failed to provide security to its own inspectors when they are required to seal factories that are charged with emitting pollution. Research showns that in around ninety percent of sealing operations, EPD inspectors were reportedly tortured, detained or physically harassed by factory owners, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Recently, an EPD Inspector Ali Raza was reportedly detained and tortured by a factory owner and his workers when Raza tried to seal the factory after handing them a show cause notice a few days ago. A police squad rescued him and two other policemen after receiving an emergency call.
Sources from the EPD reported that there was no tradition of pursuing FIRs launched by the EPD inspectors, as in most cases the inspectors settled the disputes with the alleged factory owners by accepting bribes outside the courts.
The sources said further that the police also protected the factory owners by taking bribes and tried to weaken the cases deliberately, enabling the owners to escape easily from the law.
Sources said the reason behind the increase in pollution in the capital was the acute shortage of inspectors, as there were currently only eight inspectors to cover the Lahore district.
“Inspectors are not allowed to conduct independent inspection of any factory and the reason behind it is simple; factory owners have strong ties with the politicians and bureaucracy. Usually, raids are only conducted inspectors receive orders from seniors,” the sources added.
They said the department is not interested in empowering the inspectors, although a law was introduced in 1997 to make the wearing of uniforms compulsory for the EPD inspectors, and give them the authority to issue challans on the spot. However, despite an elapsed period of 13 years, the ordinance has yet to be implemented.
“We need uniforms, gadgets, more staff, a police squad and most importantly, justice, because whenever we try to issue a fine chit to vehicles or dare to seal a factory on the charges of emission of environmentally hazardous gases, we are either mocked, thrashed or detained by the owners,” is the common complaint of EPD inspectors.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Environment District Officer Yunis Javaid said the police did not cooperate with them and when contacted for providing police squads, they blatantly refused. He said registering FIRs was an ‘insulting episode’ since police weaken cases themselves to accommodate factory owners after taking bribes. He said, “No factory owner is brought to justice, because their cases are closed due to non-pursuance.
EPD Deputy Director Naseem ur Rehman said the department had hired lawyers to pursue cases but it was not his domain to discuss the legal complexities involved in such incidences. When EPD Secretary Sajjad Saleem Hotiana was contacted, he refused to comment on problems facing by EPD inspectors.