EPA Balochistan seals 14 stone crushing plants in suburbs of Quetta
Syed Ali Shah :
QUETTA: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Balochistan has launched a crack-down against stone crushing plants in the suburbs of Quetta on Saturday. The EPA sealed 14 stone crushing plants in Samali, Western Bypass, and other parts of the provincial capital, Jehangir Khan Kakar, the Additional Secretary Environment Balochistan said. He directed the owners of the stone-crushing plants to remove machinery and bring what he called an end to this hazardous business.
The EPA also disconnected the power supply to the stone-crushing plants to make sure complete halt to their operations. Law enforcement agencies supported the EPA during the crackdown against the stone-crushing plants.
Pollution is disastrous for human lives: Dr. Shiree Khan
“Pollution from stone crushing plants is disastrous for people”, Dr. Shireen Khan, the famous chest physician told Quetta Voice. He said it causes lung, respiratory diseases, and cancer.
Secretary Environment Balochistan, Saboor Kakar had directed the EPA Director-General and other concerned staff members to make sure complete ban operations of stone crushing plants. The EPA had repeatedly warned the owners of the plants to shift their business far away from the city. However, they failed to do so.
Dust causing cancer disease
The dust created by stone-crushing plants causes asthma and other respiratory diseases, Dr. Faiz Kakar, the former chief International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Balochistan told Quetta Voice. He said the EPA and other departments should evolve a better strategy to cope with the menace of increasing pollution in the provincial capital. “Lives of people are at risk”, Mr. Kakar warned.
Quetta city is considered to be one of the most polluted cities across the country. Increasing air, noise, and dust pollution continue to claim previous human lives silently in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Especially, Balochistan has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of cancer cases in recent.
