Crackdownon smoky vehicles, kilns

LAHORE:The Punjab government is going to launch a massive crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles, old technology brick-kilns and factories using tyre scrap for burning.

The decision was made in the maiden meeting of Chief Minister Special Monitoring Unit (SMU) on Smog Control Monitoring Committee that was presided over by Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht. Environment Minister Muhammad Rizwan, Education Minister Murad Raas, and the officials concerned of different departments attended the meeting.

The minister instructed the excise and taxation department to launch a crackdown against smoke-emitting vehicles while agriculture department should ensure the culmination of crops leftovers in the fields, Urban Unit will monitor the kilns and industries emitting hazardous smoke, besides improving the capacity building of environment department. He asked the excise department to end the life time token collection to take action against the misfit vehicles. Punjab Environment Minister Muhammad Rizwan stressed the need of round-the-year action and monitoring and reforms on environmental issues. He said the environment department should make separate laws for every segment.