Legal action will be taken without any discrimination against the persons and owners of factories involved in the illegal burning and making of batteries causing environmental hazards in the rural as well as urban areas of the province. The Sindh Minister for Environment, Shaikh Mohammad Afzal, said this here on Tuesday. He was presiding over a meeting at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here at its head office in Korangi. The minister directed the officers of environment department for making PC-II of development projects immediately and sending it to the planning and development department for approval. He was of the view that the environment pollution was a serious issue in Sindh and that they all had to take active part in eradication of pollution. The minister further said that after the approval of any development project from Environmental Impact Assessment and Initial Environmental Examination, all the stakeholders are compelled to submit their follow up report to the concerned authorities but those who are not following the law would be brought before the law.
He directed the officers of Environment Department that they should take legal action against the government and private hospitals which are not following the environmental law and violators throwing and burning the medical waste in the populated areas. The Minister also said that it was the need of time to make active and positive role of the hospital waste management system. He directed the authorities of EPA that the process of recruitment on merit for the vacant posts in the Department should be completed.
Sheikh Mohammad Afzal also directed the Vehicular Emission Control Cell of EPA Sindh for monitoring of vehicles as legal action could be taken against the smoke emitting and noisy vehicles. Secretary Environment, Mir Hussain Ali, Director General Rafi-ud-din and others also attended the meeting.
