Tag: smog

  • Those who cut trees in Lahore should be jailed, says court

    Those who cut trees in Lahore should be jailed, says court

    The Lahore High Court (LHC), while hearing a petition seeking curbs to control smog in Lahore, barred Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) from cutting trees in Lahore and other parts of the province where smog is prevalent.

    Justice Shahid Karim also warned that those found cutting trees will be jailed.

    In the hearing which took place on Friday, a member of the judicial commission informed the court that WAPDA staff is cutting trees in Lahore and other parts of the province because of their transmission lines.

    Smog is dangerous for the lives of citizens in Lahore, the LHC judge remarked.

    Lahore is consistently featured among the top ten cities with the worst Air Quality Index (AQI).

    In December, some of Pakistan’s biggest cities were ranked among the most polluted in the world. Lahore, the capital of the province was ranked as the metropolis with the most polluted air thrice in one week.

  • LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    Due to rising smog, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the government to extend the winter break for all schools and colleges in the capital of Punjab by one week.

    The order was given by the high court as it heard a petition calling for action to reduce smog in the city. It stated that the government was in charge of implementing preventative measures after the smog.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s (PDMA) director general has also been called before the LHC for the next hearing.

    The change occurs while Lahore consistently ranks first among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world.

    All public and private schools in the province will be closed from December 24 to December 31 due to the earlier announcement made by the Punjab School Education Department. The reopening day for the schools was January 2, 2023. Now, on January 9, schools and universities will reopen.

    As low-grade diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal agricultural burnoff, and colder winter temperatures combine to form stagnant clouds of smog, air pollution has gotten worse in Pakistan recently.

  • Govt announces shut down of markets, restaurants at 8pm to save energy

    Govt announces shut down of markets, restaurants at 8pm to save energy

    The federal government on Tuesday announced a plan to save energy. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that all the markets and restaurants across the country will be shut down at 8pm. 

    Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present at the media briefing.

    “If 20% of the workers are sent for work from home on a rotational basis, this will save Rs56 billion,” said the minister.

    Pharmacies have been exempted from these restrictions.

    “The government is also introducing e-bikes, which will phase out the bikes that use petrol. The government is negotiating with companies to phase out the bikes that use petrol and modify the existing bikes,” said Asif.

    A definitive strategy on that, however, is anticipated to be announced on Thursday when the federal government finalises its consultations with all provincial governments.

    “Pakistan’s cabinet decides to take energy conservation measures that will save billions of rupees and burn less fossil fuels. Energy is a huge carbon emitter. Committee will take pathways to the provinces and report back in two days,” tweeted Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman.

  • Smog chutis: Punjab closes schools three days a week in Lahore

    Smog chutis: Punjab closes schools three days a week in Lahore

    The Punjab Government has ordered closure of schools of the provincial capital for three days a week amid increasing air pollution.

    The notification of three day weekly holiday was issued by School Education Department (SED). Sundays will count as the third holiday.

    “In compliance with the directions of Hon’ble Lahore High Court, Lahore, in Writ Petition No. 227807/ 2018 vide order dated 02-12-2022, it is notified that owing to prevailing SMOG condition, all Public & Private Schools in District Lahore shall remain closed on every Friday & Saturday, in addition to the weekly holiday on Sunday till further orders,” stated the notification.

    Additionally, it was stated that during school closures, the chief executive officer of the District Education Authority (DEA), Lahore, along with the relevant heads, would oversee the distribution of homework to pupils.

    Pakistan’s biggest cities have ranked among the most polluted in the world for the past week. Lahore, the capital of the province has been ranked as the metropolis with the most polluted air thrice in the past one week.

  • 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.

  • Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday heard petitions regarding environmental issues, including smog. During the hearing, an official of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told the court  that increase in the consumption of grilled fish and BBQ in the winter season was one of the factors contributing to pollution and smog.

    The official also asked the court to order early closure of these (BBQ) shops. However, the suggestion was not approved by the court.

    Lahore recorded the worst air quality in four years on Wednesday (December 15).

    Read more-Lahore’s air quality reaches 981, normal air quality should be below 50

    An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 981 was recorded near the Mall Road, Samaa has reported. As per United States Environmental protection agency, the hazardous category indicates an AQI of 301–500. The ‘good’ category is 0–50, which is followed by ‘moderate’ at 51–100 while anything in the 101–301 AQI range is considered unhealthy.

    Meanwhile, in November, Provincial Minister of Punjab for Environment Protection Muhammad Rizwan claimed that there has been no smog in Punjab, including Lahore, for the last two years.

  • End of toxic smog in Punjab: Met Office predicts rain across country

    End of toxic smog in Punjab: Met Office predicts rain across country

    The people of Punjab will finally be able to take a deep breath. The Met Office has predicted rain across the country, in the upcoming 36 hours, which will clear the blanket of toxic smog in the province.

    The most awaited rain, as per the forecast of weather experts, is expected at different parts of the country during the weekend after a prolonged dry spell and help subside the prevailing smog in the plain areas of Punjab.

    Travellers had been facing severe inconvenience, especially on the motorways, due to the intense fog in most areas of Punjab at morning and night hours while some motorways authorities imposed travel restrictions at certain places with severe smoggy conditions.

    Rain would give relief to the citizens facing allergies, as well as influenza and cough due to the dry weather spell. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) revealed that a weak westerly weather system is likely to enter upper parts of the country and would persist till Sunday.

    Under this weather system, rain with snowfall over the hills is expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Northeast Punjab on Saturday (evening or night) and Sunday.

    Rain with wind-thunderstorm is also expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Pishin, Zhob and its surrounding on Saturday (evening or night).

    Rain-wind-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected in Kashmir, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad on Sunday.

    Light rain/wind-thunderstorm is expected in Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal and Lahore on Saturday night and Sunday.

    Snowfall is also expected in Neelum valley, Bagh, Rawalakot, Nathiagali, Galliyat, Naran, Kaghan, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Malam Jabba on Sunday. About the possible impacts of the rain, the Met office said the prevailing smog conditions would likely to subside in plains of Punjab while the dense fog would likely to develop over plain areas of Punjab from Monday. The night temperatures would likely to fall gradually after the wet spell and severe cold weather conditions may prevail at certain places.

  • Examinations will be held on time despite new covid variant: Shafqat Mahmood

    Examinations will be held on time despite new covid variant: Shafqat Mahmood

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said on Monday that the government has no plans to suspend educational activities. He said that examinations will be taken on time and the full curriculum will be covered in it, reports Geo.

    When he was asked about the policy of the education department regarding precautionary measures against the Omicron variant, the federal minister said, “I don’t know about the new variant of coronavirus in detail, but the government wants to continue educational activities.”

    The new variant named Omicron, which was first discovered in South Africa is spreading drastically into various parts of Europe including Canada and Australia. On Saturday, Pakistan imposed a complete ban on direct/indirect inbound flights from six African countries and Hong Kong.

    Moreover, while talking about the smog situation in Lahore, Shafqat Mahmood said it will decrease by the closure of private and government schools thrice a week.

  • 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