- Court also orders action against those wasting water in homes and society administrations
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday suggested imposition of water emergency, pattern on coronavirus lockdown, to avoid drought.
The high court also ordered the water emergency issue be presented before the cabinet and sought a report in this regard on the next hearing.
Justice Shahid Karim issued the directives in a written order on the previous hearing of case regarding smog prevention.
In its order, the court ordered action against those wasting water in homes and society administrations.
The court stated that the Cooperative Department should also fine those who wash cars in homes and the society administration. “A complete ban should be imposed on wasting clean water by installing pipes in homes”, the order reads.
The Cooperative Department should also write the amount of the fine for wasting water on the office order. The court wrote in the decision that DG PDMA expressed concern about water shortage in rivers due to climate change.
The court ordered in the decision that PDMA will have to play a central role in avoiding drought, and the PDMA should take proactive steps in Punjab with other departments to save water.
It is the need of the hour to implement a Corona-style water emergency in Punjab.
The court ordered them to submit a summary to the cabinet for implementing a water emergency.
The implementation of the emergency will further strengthen the PDMA in its measures for water conservation.
A committee of focal persons from various departments should be formed for water conservation.
The court ordered that the focal person should also submit a report on the measures taken by the person to protect water. The next hearing of the case will be on April 11.
Meanwhile following the LHC orders, Deputy Director Environment Ali Ejaz launched an awareness campaign for Lahore residents.
The Deputy Director of Environment appealed to citizens to conserve water, warning that vehicle washing in homes is completely banned and a fine amounting to 10,000 will be imposed with legal action against the violators.
In view of the severe shortage of water, an immediate ban has been imposed on washing vehicles with clean tap water, the text of the awareness notice said.
It was requested in the notice that citizens use alternative methods for washing vehicles by using recycled water or water collected in buckets.
