Steps being taken to control smog: minister

LAHORE: Minister for Disaster Management Khalid Mahmood has said important steps are being taken to control smog, urging people to perform their proactive role to tackle the calamity.

The minister expressed these views while addressing a smog awareness seminar organised by a group of institutions here on Thursday. During his address, the minister said the government has introduced zigzag policy to control pollution caused by kilns and has also issued interest-free loans to kiln owners on easy installments for three years. He said illegal tyre burning industry has been eradicated while action is being taken against violators in this regard.

For the bright future of our children, we should participate in the tree plantation campaign and whenever we plant a tree, we have to protect it till it becomes a tree, the minister said and appreciated the initiative of the group to organise awareness seminars and said with such events, the process of raising awareness among the youth could be completed in an efficient manner. Speaking on the occasion, group chairman Prof Abdul Manan Khurram said Lahore is a victim of various calamities and in such a situation ‘we have to play our part.’ He said the group was paying special attention to social training of its students and today's awareness seminar is also a link in the same chain. Dr Abdul Qadir, an environment expert, highlighted issues of smog.

Meanwhile, a meeting on smog control measures was held at Punjab Transport Company head office at Gulberg. Punjab Transport Company Chief Executive Officer Khawaja Sikander Zeeshan chaired the meeting while representatives of Provisional Transport Authority, Punjab Police, City Traffic Police Lahore and others attended.

The meeting took decisions to implement recommendations and measures to deal with smog. It was decided to take zero-tolerance while agreeing to tighten action against vehicles causing smog. It was also decided to launch campaign against vehicles without route permits and fitness certificates.