Basharat orders timely steps to control smog

LAHORE:A ministerial committee in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Environmental Protection, Cooperatives and Parliamentary Affairs Basharat Raja has reviewed measures regarding possible smog here Wednesday.

Provincial Law Minister KhurramShehzad Virk and Provincial Minister Communications and Works Ali Afzal Sahi also participated in the meeting. Secretary Industries and Commerce Dr Ahmad JavedQazi briefed the meeting on the emission from industries.

The ministerial committee directed that the department of industry and commerce should continuously monitor the dense industrial districts of Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot.

Provincial Minister Basharat Raja said that the threat of smog is looming over the head, so there is no room for laziness. “The industries department should submit the report of hazardous emissions from the industries every week” directed the minister. He expressed the hope that the smog situation will be better this time but it depends more on the intensity of crop residue burning in the neighbouring country.

Basharat Raja said that Chief Minister PervaizElahi recently inaugurated mobile smog units for Lahore, which are taking action against smog-emitting vehicles on the roads. Air pollution is not a problem that requires attention for one or two months but we have to continue our activities throughout the year. “Tire recycling factories will not allow spreading air pollution. No brick kiln can function without zigzag technology,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has decided to impose Section 144 across the province to ban the burning of crop residues and garbage as part of measures to prevent smog. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Abdullah Khan Sumbal at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. The administrative secretaries of different departments including Local Govt, Housing and Transport, DG Provincial Disaster Management Authority and officers concerned participated in the meeting.

Chief Secretary directed the officers to intensify the ongoing crackdown on industrial units and vehicles causing environmental pollution. He said that it is imperative to take preemptive measures against smog, adding that all the relevant departments should carry out collective efforts to mitigate the impact of pollution. He also issued orders to the Secretary Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to prepare a framework for the prevention of smog.

The Chief Secretary said that the ban on use of substandard fuel in steel mills and factories would be enforced and police officers would provide full support during anti-smog operations. The Secretary EPD gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that anti-smog squads have been formed in all districts. He said that the crackdown is underway against industries and vehicles that cause air pollution.

Giving details, he mentioned that this year the authorities conducted 19,000 inspections, imposed fines of Rs440 million besides registering 883 cases and sealing 664 units. He added that a control room has been set up in EPD to oversee the anti-smog measures. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has decided to impose Section 144 across the province to ban the burning of crop residues and garbage as part of measures to prevent smog.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Abdullah Khan Sumbal at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. The administrative secretaries of different departments, including Local Government, Housing and Transport, Provincial Disaster Management Authority DG and officers concerned participated in the meeting.

Chief Secretary directed the officers to intensify the ongoing crackdown on industrial units and vehicles causing environmental pollution. He said that it is imperative to take preemptive measures against smog, adding that all the relevant departments should carry out collective efforts to mitigate the impact of pollution. He also issued orders to the Secretary Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to prepare a framework for the prevention of smog.

The chief secretary said that the ban on use of substandard fuel in steel mills and factories would be enforced and police officers would provide full support during anti-smog operations. He asked the Agriculture Department to promote farm mechanisation to address the problem of stubble burning.

The EPD secretary gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that anti-smog squads have been formed in all districts. He said that the crackdown is underway against industries and vehicles that cause air pollution.

Giving details, he mentioned that this year the authorities conducted 19,000 inspections, imposed fines of Rs440 million besides registering 883 cases and sealing 664 units. He added that a control room has been set up in EPD to oversee the anti-smog measures.