LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered a seven-day extension in winter vacations across educational institutions in the provincial metropolis due to unrelenting smog.
On December 14, the school education department announced week-long winter vacations for schools across the province from December 24 to December 31.
But last week, the court directed the province to propose to the department to implement a two-week-long vacation as a step to help curb smog. Previously, on December 7, it ordered a four-day week to achieve the said objective.
Air quality is usually the poorest in Lahore’s winter months of December and January.
Every year, a combination of industrial pollution, burning waste and farm fires in neighbouring India fouls the air in the city, making it one of the world’s most polluted cities. The hazardous pollutants across its skyline cause residents respiratory difficulties, eye irritation, and cardiac complications, among other ailments.
The latest move comes after the chief minister of Punjab said his government, in order to ease pollution, will provide farmers with a modern harvester to destroy crop residues, and ensure the transfer of all brick kilns to zigzag technology.
Hearing the public interest petitions on different environmental issues on Tuesday, Justice Shahid Kareem observed that vacations in schools and colleges ought to be extended due to the persistent smog.
A representative of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), who was also present during the hearing, told the court that letters had been written to satellite channels to run advertisements for the awareness and prevention of smog.
The court remarked that smog was in control to a considerable extent. However, it said the prevention of smog was the responsibility of the government.
The judge also summoned the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to the next hearing. The hearing was adjourned till January 6.
