Punjab declares smog emergency on LHC order

LAHORE: The Punjab caretaker government has declared smog emergency in the province but ruled out closing down schools and declaring Wednesday as a holiday for government offices and educational institutions.

However, the government made wearing of face-mask by all students mandatory. The decision was taken in a meeting held on Wednesday with caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the chair. The marathon meeting continuing for many hours was held at the CM office to take stock of smog situation in the province.

The government officials and environmentalists mulled over various steps for controlling smog. The environmentalists told the meeting it would make no difference if schools were closed down and vehicles kept off the road for one day every week.

The CM, after receiving all suggestions, declared smog emergency across Punjab. He directed all schools to ensure use of face-masks by students as well as staff for one month. He also appealed to general public to use mask while going out for at least one month. The CM directed provincial ministers to visit government and private schools from Thursday (today) to ensure implementation of directions.

Mohsin Naqvi said stern action would be taken against those who would fail to sprinkle water on the material during construction of any buildings. He issued directions to commissioner Lahore division, Local Government department and Lahore Waste Management Company in this regard. The CM ordered withdrawal of challans against farmers during smog. He issued directions to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) in this regard and urged farmers not to burn crops stubbles and dispose them of in an appropriate manner.

Meanwhile, Chinese Consul General in Lahore Zhao Shiren met Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the CM office on Wednesday and discussed with him smog preventive measures. The two officials agreed in principle that the Punjab government would acquire technical assistance from the Beijing Academy of Sciences and Technology to cope up with smog hazards.

They also agreed that an Air Quality Monitoring System would be installed in Lahore with the collaboration of a Chinese company. It was also agreed during the meeting to initiate immediate contacts between the specialists of environment affairs of China and Punjab in this regard.

Separately, Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Wednesday ordered the caretaker Punjab government to immediately impose “smog emergency” in Lahore due to constantly falling hazardous air quality index. Expressing dissatisfaction at performance of Lahore commissioner to control rising air pollution, while hearing several petitions on environmental issues, the judge observed that smog was not his personal problem but concerned the lives of young generations. The judge expressed displeasure and asked Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa to be ashamed of the city’s condition. “You are the custodian of Lahore. Just see what you have done to it,” the judge observed, and ordered the government to halt construction work on underpasses of the city before 12am. The judge also ordered a strict crackdown on smoke-emitting factories with an instruction to seal them on violation, and the activation of the special helpline for smog control, besides directing that teachers and students in schools should be taught to report daily on the helpline about the industrial units causing pollution in their respective areas. While fixing the hearing for Nov 3, the judge instructed the CCPO and the officials concerned to create lists of industrial units spreading pollution in police stations’ SHOs.