As part of measures to control smog, the Chief Secretary Punjab has directed the relevant authorities to intensify the crackdown against those causing environmental pollution.
He gave this directive while presiding over a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat here on Monday.
The Additional Chief Secretary (Home), administrative secretaries of various departments including environment, industries, agriculture, local government, deputy commissioner Lahore and officers concerned attended the meeting while the deputy commissioners of Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Narowal and Faisalabad participated through video link.
The Chief Secretary said that the IG Punjab has issued instructions to all police officers to assist the administration in the action against polluters and appointed a focal person for better coordination.
The Chief Secretary ordered that the ban on the use of substandard fuel in steel mills and factories be strictly enforced.
He said that all the relevant departments should continue collective efforts to prevent smog, adding that the progress on this count would be reviewed regularly. He also issued instructions about promoting farm mechanization to end the practice of stubble burning.
The Secretary Environment Protection Department gave a detailed briefing at the meeting.
He said that according to a study, 43 percent factors of environmental pollution are related to transport, 25 percent to industry, 12 percent to power and 20 percent to the agriculture sector.
He mentioned that special smog squads have been formed to take action against environmental polluters while Vehicles Inspection and Certification System (VICS) has been introduced to check the fitness of vehicles.
