Punjab declares smog calamity, takes immediate measures

LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has declared smog as a calamity in Punjab and advised authorities to take action against any activities that may contribute to the serious smog conditions.

The Punjab PDMA announced in a statement that any activities that contribute to or cause smog have been forbidden throughout the province.

The illegal actions included burning crop residue, vehicles emitting visible smoke, pollutants falling into inadmissible limits, all industries working without emission control systems contributing to deterioration of Air Quality Index, all stone crushers operating without wet scrubbers, burning of all types of solid waste, tyres, rubber and plastics as well as sell and use of sub-standard fuels.

The authority said encroachments which caused hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic, any kind of parking which may cause hindrance in traffic flow and activities which contributed to generating fugitive dust were not allowed.

The PDMA also said the deputy commissioners had been delegated the powers of the Relief Commissioner to take all necessary measures to control and mitigate smog.

This is not the first time that the PDMA has declared smog a calamity, last year in November the authority issued a similar order.

Dense smog has become prevalent just ahead of winter in the provincial capital city, where the quality of air pollution has become the worst in the world air quality index (AQI) several times in the last few days.

The smog leads to low visibility which hampers mobility and it causes different types of diseases as well.

In a bid to tackle this, the Punjab government on Wednesday announced imposing a "green lockdown" in air pollution hotspots of Lahore as a precautionary measure.

Lahore battles pollution each year in winter as temperatures fall and cold air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions, and smoke.

The government has placed certain restrictions in areas identified as pollution hotspots — Davis Road, Egerton Road, Durand Road, Kashmir Road, Abbott Road, starting from Shimla Hill to Gulistan Cinema, Empress Road, starting from Shimla Hill to Railway Headquarters and Queen Marry Road, starting from Durand Road to Allama Iqbal Road.

According to a notification issued, the government has banned construction activities in the above-mentioned areas, ban on ching-chi rikshaws and commercial generators.

Moreover, a ban has also been imposed on open food cooking points and BBQ points after 8pm, food outlets using charcoal, coal or wood without installation of proper emission control system, marquees and marriage halls after 10pm and on dry sweeping.

"The government as well as private offices, operating in the above-mentioned areas, shall make necessary arrangements to switch over to work from home policy (50% on rotation/ need basis)," said the notification, adding that car parking should also be restricted as per guidelines issued from Chief Traffic Officer.

It also said that all the heavy transport vehicles entering these areas will be checked by a special team and no vehicle emitting black smoke will be allowed to enter.

The notification added that the order shall come into force with immediate effect and action would be taken against those who don't comply.

Smog SoPs' implementation being ensured: Marriyum

Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said implementation of the standard operating procedures (SoPs) for smog was being ensured on the directive of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

The authorities were making sure that those burning crop residuals were arrested right away, she said, reminding that smog was a calamity.

Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, Punjab, Director General Imran Sheikh said his department had issued an alert viewing the smog condition.

The schools providing education to special children were directed to make arrangements for online classes, he said, adding the steps were taken with regard to the children suffering from diseases related to breathing, allergy and heart.

He said implementation of the green lockdown was ongoing in cooperation with the stakeholders. He also apprised that 9 brick kilns and four industrial units had been dismantled for violating the smog rules, while inspection of diesel generators at offices would begin today in the green lockdown areas.