Tag: lahore smog

  • Schools will remain open on Wednesday: Punjab Government

    Schools will remain open on Wednesday: Punjab Government

    Caretaker Education Minister for Punjab, Mansoor Qadir, confirmed that the government has chosen not to close educational institutions in the province this coming Wednesday, October 18, taking a u-turn from the administration’s previous plan. 

    Discussions were held by caretakers about the possibility of temporarily shutting down schools and offices on Wednesdays, in addition to regular weekends, as a government measure to counter smog. 

    Recent rainfall has significantly contributed to an improvement in the air quality in Lahore, the provincial capital most affected by the smog. This positive development has prompted the ruling authorities to delay the implementation of the proposed closure.

    Minister Qadir stated during the press conference, “Schools will remain open this Wednesday. We will continue to convene meetings to address the smog issue and make future decisions accordingly.”

    During the same briefing, Caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir highlighted the annual health risks posed by the smog. “Raising awareness about the consequences of smog is essential for the public,” he emphasized.The government has taken measures, including the enforcement of Section 144 to curb smog, and has imposed restrictions on vehicles to prevent further exacerbation of the situation

  • Over 2,900 FIRs registered against the smog in Punjab

    Over 2,900 FIRs registered against the smog in Punjab

    According to the Punjab Relief Commissioner Babar Hayat Tarar, the province has registered over 2,970 First Information Report (FIR) in less than three months (October 1 to December 18) to tackle the smog problem, reports Geo News.

    A heavy fine has been imposed on industrial emissions, stubble burning, and traffic violations.

    The commissioner also stated that the smog has been reduced as a result of effective government measures.

    In the past few weeks, travel had been affected due to smog and poor visibility.

    The Motorway-2 (M2) from Bhera, M4 from Shershah to Shamkot, and M5 from the Jalalpur interchange to Shershah and from Rohri to Guddu were also blocked due to fog and smog.

    Recently, several flights from the Lahore and Sialkot airports faced delays and four flights scheduled for Lahore were diverted to Islamabad. The schedule of trains from Karachi and Quetta was also affected.

  • Minister asks FIA to take action against ‘fake’ air quality data, closure of schools under consideration

    Minister asks FIA to take action against ‘fake’ air quality data, closure of schools under consideration

    Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) Minister Muhammad Rizwan has written a letter to the director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), requesting him to take action against those spreading fake/unauthorised data of air quality on social media and internet, Geo News has reported. He requested FIA to take action against such people under cyber laws.

     The letter stated that that EPD is in charge of enforcing the Punjab Environmental Protection Act of 1997. “It is an Act to provide protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment, for the prevention and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development,” read the letter.

    The minister in the letter further wrote that, “unscrupulous elements with malafide intention” are reporting fake Air Quality Index (AQI) on different media platforms with an intent to harm the country’s image. “Fake/unauthorised data on air quality of Lahore or any city of Punjab is harming international reputation of the government and creating fear among the citizens, which can’t be tolerated,” said the provincial minister while speaking to The News.Read more- Lahore tops the worst air quality list, again

    The minister also added that the government was considering closing schools for a certain period of time in Punjab, as a precautionary measure. In addition, options of smart lockdown in sensitive areas and a ban on all kinds of construction activities in the city are also being considered.

    Earlier, the minister claimed that there has been no smog in Punjab, including Lahore, for the last two years.

  • ‘Haan hum tu annay hai jaise’: Twitter reacts to ‘no smog in Lahore’ comment by provincial minister

    ‘Haan hum tu annay hai jaise’: Twitter reacts to ‘no smog in Lahore’ comment by provincial minister

    Provincial Minister of Punjab for Environment Protection Muhammad Rizwan in a show aired on City 42 News claimed that there has been no smog in Punjab, including Lahore, for the last two years.

    He said that the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lahore which is being observed nowadays is different.

    Twitterati couldn’t control their emotions as Lahore frequently topped the chart of the world’s most polluted cities.

    Some lashed out while others had hilarious reactions to the minister’s statement.

    https://twitter.com/Adambeazar/status/1459485906302287877?s=20

  • Control room established in Lahore to monitor smog

    Control room established in Lahore to monitor smog

    The Ministry of Climate Change has set up a smog control room in Lahore to regularly monitor smog that causes health problems to people in different areas of the province during the winters.

    The other objective of the Control Room was to have a constant check on smog Air Quality Index (AQI) in the province during coming days.

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said the process to fight smog has begun.

    He said there would be a regular check on crop burning, transport and industrial emissions, brick kilns and cross-border emissions which are the main sources of smog production.

    Malik Amin said that farmers have been provided with much-needed technology to help them avoid burning of crop residue and instead convert the residue into organic fertilizer to enhance the fertility of their farmlands.

    He said technology is also being introduced across the country under the government’s project for Mechanized Management of Rice Crop Residue for which thirty billion rupees are being spent for payment of 50,000 units of rice straw shredder.

  • Lahore sees peak pollution as coronavirus surges

    Lahore sees peak pollution as coronavirus surges

    A thick blanket of smog has enveloped Lahore, prompting officials to warn that tens of thousands of the city’s residents risk respiratory disease and eye-related problems while doctors urged people to stay at home.

    The air quality in Lahore deteriorated to hazardous levels, putting an additional burden on the fragile healthcare system amid a surge in coronavirus deaths and new infections. The Air Quality Index at one point rose to 750 in the city’s poorer areas — about 12 times the recommended level.

    Earlier in the day, Switzerland-based air quality information platform IQair declared Lahore the second most polluted city, after New Delhi, India’s capital. Pollution indexes peak dramatically in Pakistan in winter, when farmers burn off stubble in the fields. Winds worsen the pollution by further spreading smog across the region.

    “The air quality level was hazardous today,” said Sajid Bashir, a spokesman for Environmental Protection Department.

    By mid-day the situation had improved, he said, as authorities took steps to keep smoke emitting vehicles off the roads and shut brick kilns across Punjab.

    Lahore, once dubbed as the city of gardens, remained pollution-free for months after March, when the government imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. But the restriction was lifted in May, allowing a return to industrial activities and normal businesses. With cars back on the roads, the air quality gradually deteriorated, falling again to unhealthy levels.

    Pollution is no stranger to Pakistan, a country of 220 million — or Lahore, with some 12 million people. Cars are the top pollutants in Lahore but the city also has other sources of pollution, including the stubble burning, steel manufacturing furnaces and the city’s famous brick kilns.

    “Coughing, throat infection and irritation in the eyes are common,” said Anza Farid, an environmental expert, warning that the situation could worsen in the coming weeks as more people burn garbage in the cities and farmers burn off the stubble in their fields.

    Dr Talha Ayub urged people to wear face masks for protection, both from pollution and the coronavirus. “People should try to stay at home if they can,” he appealed.

    Pakistan on Thursday said it registered 34 new COVID-19 deaths and 1,808 new infections over the past 24 hours — despite a government-imposed partial lockdowns in 4,136 residential areas across the country. The government is turning to sealing off hotspots in a bid to contain rising fatalities and infections from coronavirus.

    Authorities also banned large gathering, shut shrines, cinemas and theatres to contain the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 348,000 people in Pakistan and killed 7,021 since February.