PDMA declares smog calamity

LAHORE : Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has declared smog as a calamity and issued advisory to take immediate measures to combat/minimise the impact of smog.

The PDMA’s advisory notification was sent to all government departments concerned including agriculture, environment, transport, local bodies, police, all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioner of the province. As per the notification, smog has been declared as a calamity under section 3 of Punjab Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958 in the entire province.

In exercise of this section, PDMA has imposed a complete ban on burning of any type of crop residue, action against smoke-emitting industries as well as vehicles. PDMA in the notification said that all industries without an emission control system will halt their operations till smog fear ends. PDMA banned activities of all the stone crushers without wet scrubbers, burning of all types of solid waste, tyres, rubbers and plastic, sale of all types of substandard fuel, all types of encroachments which cause hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic on public roads including footpaths, all kinds of activities without proper safeguard which contribute to generating fugitive dust, uncovered and open dumping/storage of construction material, uncovered transportation of construction material like sand, mud cement and any unauthorised activity which may cause pollution. PDMA has also banned operations of traditional brick kilns while brick kilns with zigzag technology were allowed to operate. The PDMA’s notification warned that any brick kiln found operating in violation will be fined with Rs 50,000 and 100,000.