SEPA seals a polluting factory in Bin Qasim

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has sealed a factory of petrocarbon which was found polluting the air by discharging its emissions without any mitigation measures.
According to details, Director General SEPA Naeem Mughal had earlier issued an Environmental Protection Order (EPO) by exercising his power under Section 21 of Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014 to a polluting factory situated in Bin Qasim Town, which discharged emissions while producing raw material for tyre manufacturing from raw petrol.
The violating factory was informed through the EPO that SEPA had observed the release of thick black smoke and emissions from its operations causing environmental pollution affecting the surrounding areas. SEPA also observed that the referred factory was being operated without installation of equipment to eliminate, control or abate the discharge of emissions causing adverse environmental effects.
Subsequently, the management of the polluting factory was offered an opportunity of personal hearing by DG SEPA to defend its position and explain why a legal action may not be initiated against it. However, factory management did not avail the opportunity of a personal hearing nor submitted any response in this regard.
In view of above, SEPA directed the factory to stop releasing its emissions with immediate effect. However, after two days of the issuance of the EPO, the DG SEPA along with his team visited the factory site and found it operating as usual. Consequently, DG SEPA sealed the factory till it installs an appropriate environmental management system in its operations for stoppage of the release of emissions into the air.