Lahore, November 04, 2022 (PPI-OT): Chief Secretary Punjab Abdullah Khan Sumbal has directed all the relevant departments to expedite the collective efforts for overcoming the smog. He issued this directive while presiding over a meeting on smog control at the Civil Secretariat here on Tuesday. The administrative secretaries of various departments including environment protection, local government, industries, agriculture, transport, and health, deputy commissioners Lahore and officers concerned attended the meeting while the deputy commissioners of Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Narowal, and Faisalabad participated through video link.
The Chief Secretary said that the smog situation is comparatively better than last year, but a lot of work needs to be done to control environmental pollution. He also issued orders to the Environment Protection Department to hold consultative sessions with all the stakeholders including civil society.
He said that the suggestions of the civil society would prove to be helpful in preventing smog. The meeting also decided to carry out inspections of all the government vehicles. Briefing the meeting, the Secretary Environment Protection Department said that in October, the authorities sealed 1058 industrial units causing environmental pollution, registered 696 cases and imposed fines of more than Rs 24 million.
The inspection teams sealed 583 industrial units, lodged FIRs and imposed fines of over Rs 34 million in Lahore. He said that during the last two weeks, 46,000 inspections were conducted and 3,168 smoke-emitting vehicles were impounded. Likewise, 20 cases were registered over burning garbage during the last one month. He said that due to the direction of the wind, the smoke from burning crop residues across the border is affecting Lahore.
For more information, contact:
Directorate General Public Relations,
Government of the Punjab
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-9201390-86
Website: www.punjab.gov.pk