LHC Summons Secretary EPD On Nov 14

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday summoned secretary Environment Protection Department (EPD) for November 14 on a petition regarding smog and environmental pollution

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Nov, 2017 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday summoned secretary Environment Protection Department (EPD) for November 14 on a petition regarding smog and environmental pollution.

LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah passed these orders while hearing a petition, filed by Advocate Shiraz Zaka. Earlier, an EPD law officer appeared before the court but failed to satisfy the judge about the steps taken to control smog during the past one year.

He also failed to provide data of air pollution level during the past week.

At this, the chief justice expressed annoyance and observed that the department was not serious in implementation of the environmental laws.

The chief justice also appointed Sarah Bilal as amicus curiae. The EPD secretary had appeared before the court on the last hearing and submitted a notified smog policy wherein it was stated that six air monitoring stations had been made functional.

It was also reported that the air monitoring system would be expanded under the smog policy, besides enforcement of the Pollution Charge Rules of 2001 and the environmental laws.