Present smog policy draft in two days, says LHC CJ

LAHORE :Showing annoyance over non-implementation of a  smog policy, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to present approved draft of the policy within two days.

The chief justice was hearing a petition seeking implementation of the smog policy by the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency.

As the hearing started, a law officer presented the proposed draft of the policy and informed the court that the policy would be enforced after its final approval by the chief minister. The chief justice expressed his displeasure that a year had elapsed and winter was round the corner, and the Punjab government had not approved the policy to curb pollution and smog.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Lahore President Barrister Walid Iqbal moved the petition submitting in wake of spell of thick smog during winter last year that had engulfed Lahore and other parts of the province for many days affecting citizens especially the children. Petitioner counsel said the government had created a misconception that the smog happened due to burning of agricultural waste in Indian province of Punjab.

He submitted that the reason behind the smog was the lack of enforcement of environmental laws and dysfunctional central laboratory in Lahore due to the negligence of Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He said the government had not taken any adequate measures to create awareness among the public. He submitted that fundamental rights of citizens were at stake and similar situation was witnessed in London when several deaths occurred through smog in 1952. He submitted that it was Punjab government's failure to control rampant industrialisation in the urban areas that was the main reason behind the prevailing weather condition of dense smog in Lahore.

He said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had already ranked Lahore city among top 10 polluted cities of the world due to emissions of sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide by the industries. He submitted that due to increasing urbanisation and expansion of the city, the increasing industrial activities and motor vehicular emissions had resulted in massive environmental pollution affecting the right to life of citizens guaranteed under Article 9 of the constitution.

He said that the huge smog had been engulfing the Lahore city in particular reducing visibility and forcing people to stay indoors. He said that the smoke caused by pollution and other circumstances was highly toxic and was causing serious respiratory problems among the citizens who might find it difficult to breathe all of a sudden.

He submitted that besides the lungs, this smog was also harmful for eyes and mostly the children were its victims. He said that the EPA failed to perform its statutory obligations and enforce pollution charge rules and the federal government was flouting its international obligations under Paris Agreement 2015.

He said even EPA testing laboratory was not functioning. He requested that the provincial government and the EPA should be asked whether the industrial activity taking place in the city was being scrutinised under Pollution Charge Rules 2001. He also requested the court to inquire from the authorities as to what remedial measures had been taken to address the prevailing weather condition arising from the toxic smog.