The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has launched an extensive province-wide enforcement campaign against major sources of air pollution ahead of the winter smog season. The crackdown targets brick kilns, industrial units, plastic manufacturers, construction sites and smoke-emitting vehicles in an effort to improve air quality before pollution levels rise.
Director General EPA Punjab Syed Musa Raza chaired a high-level pre-smog preparedness meeting with directors of all EPA directorates and field officers from across the province. The meeting reviewed district-wise preparedness, enforcement strategies and compliance targets to ensure coordinated action before the onset of winter.
During the meeting, Syed Musa Raza directed all regional offices to intensify field inspections, strengthen monitoring and strictly enforce environmental regulations. He emphasized that preventive action before the smog season would be more effective than responding after pollution levels become critical.
Following the meeting, the DG EPA personally inspected brick kilns in various districts to assess compliance with environmental laws. He instructed field officers to take strict action against illegal and highly polluting brick kilns, ensure the use of approved zigzag technology and initiate legal proceedings against violators without delay. He said brick kilns remain one of the leading contributors to winter air pollution across Punjab.
The EPA chief also visited fog cannon machine sites and directed teams to ensure uninterrupted operation of the equipment at major construction projects. He instructed officials to deploy anti-smog guns whenever particulate pollution levels increase, especially in areas where the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds permissible limits based on real-time monitoring data.
Construction companies were instructed to adopt effective dust suppression measures, including continuous use of mist sprinklers and anti-smog guns during dry and windy conditions. Industrial units have also been directed to keep pollution control and filtration systems fully operational. Authorities warned that industries operating without effective emission control systems would face sealing, prosecution and financial penalties under environmental laws.
The EPA has also intensified inspections of heavy transport vehicles at city entry and exit points. Special enforcement teams have been tasked with conducting emissions testing and taking legal action against vehicles that exceed prescribed pollution standards.
According to EPA Punjab’s enforcement data from January 1 to July 25, 2026, officials inspected 45,736 brick kilns, demolished 777, sealed 419, registered 762 FIRs and imposed fines worth Rs67.76 million. During the same period, 27,384 industrial units were inspected, resulting in the sealing of 694 units, demolition of 272 facilities, registration of 175 FIRs and fines totaling Rs123 million.
The agency also carried out 18,293 inspections related to plastic pollution, confiscating 229,713 prohibited plastic items, sealing 2,725 premises and imposing fines of Rs22.973 million. In addition, officials monitored construction sites, water pollution control measures and industrial emission systems while continuing inspections of smoke-emitting vehicles and commercial transport.
Syed Musa Raza said Punjab is adopting a proactive and science-based strategy to combat smog through continuous environmental monitoring, modern enforcement techniques and coordinated field operations. He added that all regional offices have been assigned clear targets to ensure cleaner air and stronger environmental compliance before the arrival of the winter smog season.
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