LAHORE: Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has significantly scaled up its enforcement actions against environmental violations across multiple sectors, with official data revealing a sharp increase in inspections, penalties, and compliance measures from 2024 through early 2026.
According to the latest enforcement figures, the agency has maintained an aggressive regulatory approach targeting brick kilns, industrial units, plastic usage, vehicular emissions, and construction-related dust pollution, reflecting a broader policy push to address worsening environmental challenges.
The number of brick kiln inspections rose markedly from 62,173 in 2024 to 81,827 in 2025, reflecting a strong enforcement drive. In early 2026 alone, 24,883 inspections have already been carried out. FIRs in this sector also increased from 1,862 in 2024 to 2,357 in 2025, indicating stricter legal action, while 323 FIRs have been registered so far in 2026, suggesting early signs of improving compliance. In the industrial sector, inspections nearly doubled from 24,344 in 2024 to 44,684 in 2025, while 14,834 inspections have already been conducted in 2026.
Sealing actions rose from 1,538 units in 2024 to 1,834 in 2025, with a further 327 units sealed this year, highlighting continued enforcement against non-compliant industries.The anti-plastic campaign recorded one of the most significant increases, with confiscations rising from 36,094 kilograms in 2024 to 419,033 kilograms in 2025.
