- LHC judge blames current government for smog in Lahore.
- Asked the government not to de-seal factories emitting black smoke.
- Ask school, college students to inform authorities about such factories.
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday held the current government responsible for the smog-induced situation in Lahore and ordered the administration to impose citywide emergency.
These orders were issued when the LHC heard a petition seeking the court’s intervention in the case.
During today’s hearing, Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa and other officials appeared before the court.
The court directed the government not to de-seal factories responsible for black smoke and directed school and college students to inform the authorities about such factories.
It also ordered the commissioner and other officials to visit schools and colleges and inform students about the decision regarding factories emitting black smoke.
Justice Shahid Karim said, “The government is responsible for the current smog situation.” Addressing the officials, the judge asked them to look at the situation in the city and reminded them that they were the owners of the city and were in a position to do something about it.
“Earlier, smog used to start affecting the city in late November and December, but now it has started in October,” Justice Karim said. While ordering emergency, he said that smog is not his personal problem but is also a problem related to children.
After this the judge adjourned the hearing till 3 November.
According to a report published in news Today, the smog has turned the provincial metropolis into a “poisonous gas chamber” where citizens are facing serious health problems as the air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 255.
Tuesday was the third consecutive day that Lahore topped the world’s most polluted cities.
District administration sources claimed that VVIP movement was very high in the city on Tuesday as the acting PM as well as the acting CM visited various ongoing development projects, due to which various traffic signals were changed to manual and traffic stopped. given. in excess vehicle emissions on city roads.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sources revealed that many furnaces in northern Lahore were running at night and using substandard fuel such as rubber tyres, plastics and other materials, while several other factories in various industrial estates of the city were also Were. Contribute to increasing air pollution.
Sources said the campaign against smoke-emitting vehicles was launched in a very half-hearted manner and the EPA’s claim of using PSCA cameras to take action against smoke-emitting vehicles was just a statement.
The main reason for low visibility (haze) in Lahore on Tuesday was the increase in fine particles (PM2.5) and many citizens were interviewed news People on the streets claimed that they were facing many health problems.
Health experts said the size of the particles is directly linked to their ability to cause health problems.
Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the biggest problem because they can travel deep into the lungs and some may even get into the bloodstream. General practitioner Dr Tariq Chishti said, ‘Exposure to such particles can affect both the lungs and heart.’
