Directive to take solid steps to counter smog

LAHORE: The Judicial Water and Environment Commission has directed the officers of all the government departments concerned to come out in field and take practical steps to counter smog instead of holding meetings in their luxurious offices.

Judicial Water and Environment Commission Chairman Justice (Retd) Ali Akbar Qureshi said this while chairing al meeting on smog at Wasa head office here on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the performance of all the government departments and agencies concerned regarding smog.

According a 15-day performance report presented by the focal person in the meeting, in Lahore, the team of judicial commission checked 45 industries, sealed 14 units and registered cases against seven. The report said that 137 brick kilns across Lahore were checked and four were sealed.

The team formed by the commission also checked 953 vehicles out of which 234 were ticketed and nine were impounded. The meeting was told that Transport Department checked 2,840 vehicles across Punjab and imposed fines of Rs 736,550 on vehicles. Similarly, Punjab Environment Department checked 644 industries across Punjab in 15 days and registered FIRs against 68 while 31 people were sent behind bars and 38 units were sealed.

The Environment Department also checked 1442 kilns across Punjab, imposed fines of more than Rs 2.7 million, registered 369 FIRs besides sending 15 people to jails and sealing 121 kilns. Last year, smog was reduced due to timely measures taken by the judicial commission, said Judicial Water and Environment Commission Chairman Justice (Retd) Ali Akbar Qureshi.

He said that there were fears of smog entering Pakistan from India and the Foreign Ministry had been informed about this. “Together we must play our part in stopping smog,” the chairman of the commission said and directed LWMC to expedite the cleaning campaign. He directed the Agriculture Department to write to the deputy commissioners to take action against those who burnt crop residues. Justice (Retd) Ali Akbar Qureshi directed all deputy commissioners to impose fines of Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 on those who burnt crop residues.