Lockdown, health emergency imposed in Lahore, Multan; Schools, colleges, and universities to shift to online classes; New operating hours for restaurants in two cities announced
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday announced the provincial government had launched a 10-year smog mitigation plan, as record-high air pollution levels have triggered hundreds of hospitalizations, school closures and stay-at-home orders in several districts in the province.
On Friday, the provincial capital, home to 13 million people, had the worst air quality of any city in the world, according to live readings by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
Toxic smog has enveloped Lahore and at least 17 other districts in Punjab since last month, where health officials have been forced to close down schools and government offices, among other measures.
“For the first time, Punjab has developed a 10-year climate change policy,” Aurangzeb said while addressing a press conference in Lahore, saying Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was “personally” monitoring the plan’s implementation.
She said, “I met Justice Shahid Karim of Smog Commission yesterday and informed him about all the goals and action plan. I would like to tell the judge what are the causes of smog and air pollution,” she added.
Punjab minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced a lockdown in Lahore and Multan for three days a week due to the worsening smog situation.
She confirmed that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will see a lockdown in both cities, with a review scheduled for next Wednesday.
In her press conference, Aurangzeb also stated that a health emergency has been declared in Lahore and Multan. All doctors and paramedical staff have had their holidays cancelled, and schools, colleges, and universities in these cities will shift to online classes. All public and private institutions across Punjab, except for Murree, will remain closed.
A new campaign, named “Detox Lahore,” will be launched to address the smog crisis. Restaurants will be restricted to takeaway services after 4 PM, and brick kilns and furnace-based industries will remain closed for a week.
She emphasized that smog is not a short-term issue, and the government is preparing 3-month action plans to tackle the crisis over the next year. She referred to smog as a national disaster affecting not just Lahore, but also Abbottabad and Multan.
The minister mentioned that several departments have been assigned targets to address the smog issue, which has now become a health crisis. The government has received proposals from various organizations, including WWF, and has integrated these suggestions into the Chief Minister’s plan.
Additionally, she noted that for the first time, a 10-year plan to address smog has been developed, which includes measures like the introduction of electric bikes, reducing emissions from vehicles, and the closure of over 800 brick kilns.
The government is also focusing on vehicle fitness checks, with new stations set up in Lahore for the certification of vehicle emissions. The Minister said, “The schools will remain closed for another week due to the hazardous air quality.” The dining in restaurants, shops, markets and shopping malls had been directed to close by 8pm.
“A full lockdown will be enforced in both cities on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as authorities continue to monitor the worsening smog situation,” the minister stated, adding that the government will review data until Wednesday before making further decisions.
She further stated that the government is also imposing a ban on construction activities in the two cities from this Saturday until next Sunday to reduce further pollution.
