- Senior Minister says government adopted anti-smog measures soon after coming to power
LAHORE: Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday claimed that the provincial government had adopted anti-smog measures since March, soon after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz assumed office in February this year, saying smog prevention is a long process.
“Smog prevention roadmap was given to all sectors and a well-thought-out stagey has been devised to counter impact of the smog in short-term as well as eradicate it in the long run,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb said while talking to a private TV channel here.
As a senior Punjab minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb holds multiple portfolios including environment protection and climate change.
Several parts of Punjab, especially Lahore has been battling thick smog for the past few weeks and the provincial metropolis has been on the list of world’s 10 most polluted cities.
On Monday night, Lahore was the most polluted city in the world, touching 708 points on the Air Quality Index (AQI) while Wednesday, according to IQAir, Delhi stayed atop with 196 points, with Lahore just six points behind it.
Marriyum, speak about the steps being taken by Punjab to curb smog across the province, said that not much work was done to prevent smog at the government level in the past, claiming the incumbent government has been working on war footing to curb smog.
“I am not sitting in the offices and giving orders, I myself went to the field and destroyed the kilns,” she said, commenting about raiding brick kilns that remain one of the major causes of smog in the province.
She maintained that it is CM Maryam’s vision to convert all conventional vehicles in Lahore to electric. “At least 200 to 250 electric buses are needed in Lahore.”
Marriyum added that at least 1% of any project’s PC-I is related to the environment.
“Cameras to detect vehicles emitting smoke are being installed. After three warnings, the smoke-emitting vehicle will be stopped,” she said, sharing sharing details regarding the provincial government’s anti-smog plans.
Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has summoned a special session on the issue, terming the situation extremely dangerous.
The speaker ruled that the situation around smog cannot be ignored and all the members of the assembly should ensure their attendance in the meeting on this public issue.
In a related development, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz suggested ‘smog diplomacy’ with Indian Punjab to overcome the menace of dangerous levels of the air quality.
“Smog is not a political but a humanitarian issue, I am considering writing a letter to Indian Punjab’s chief minister,” addressing a Diwali gathering in Lahore Maryam Nawaz said.
“The air doesn’t know the border between two countries, it is impossible to fight smog until both Punjabs take joint steps,” Punjab’s CM said.
The government has imposed “Green Lockdown” in specific areas of Lahore to address the situation.
The provincial government is introducing 300 electric buses to curb the menace of smog. The vehicle fitness certification being initiated and scores of illegal brick kilns have been demolished.
