Govt, bars mull several suggestions to battle smog

LAHORE:The Punjab government in response to the increasing severity of smog and its harmful effects is taking immediate steps to tackle this issue.

Under the chairpersonship of Punjab Law Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth a consultative meeting was held with officials from the Lahore High Court Bar and the Lahore Bar Association to discuss various measures to mitigate smog.

Parliamentary Secretary for Law Khalid Ranjha, President of Lahore High Court Bar Asad Manzoor Butt, President of District Bar Lahore, Munir Hussain Bhatti, Secretary Law Punjab, officers from the traffic police and representatives from the Deputy Commissioner’s office were also present.

The participants focused on the current situation regarding smog and its impact on public health and the environment. Several suggestions were put forward to reduce the harmful effects of smog. It was proposed that for the next two weeks, only cases related to bail and the recovery of abducted individuals would be heard in the Lahore High Court and District Courts.

This measure aims to reduce the number of people attending court, thereby reducing vehicular traffic and helping to lessen the intensity of smog. It was also proposed that court hours be restricted from 10am to 2pm in order to limit the amount of time people spend traveling to and from the courts.

By shortening the hours of operation, the number of vehicles on the road can be reduced, which in turn can help alleviate the smog issue. Such actions are expected to reduce the number of lawyers, litigants, and other individuals traveling to the courts, thus minimising exposure to harmful air pollution.

Another key suggestion was to avoid calling lawyers and parties for hearings in cases that are already ready for decision. This would reduce unnecessary court traffic and minimize the potential exposure of litigants and their representatives to smog.

Punjab Law Minister Malik Sohaib said that the provincial government would send the proposed measures to the Lahore High Court through the Advocate General for further necessary action.

The law minister emphasised that the aim of these steps is to reduce vehicular traffic, which will help mitigate the effects of smog and protect public health. He noted that the reduction in the number of vehicles coming to Lahore for hearings will also contribute to reducing the overall intensity of smog in the city.