Senior Provincial Minister Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that the Punjab government has provided 10,000 super seeders to farmers at a 60 per cent subsidy, converted around 8,000 brick kilns to zigzag technology, and is implementing an integrated strategy to combat air pollution. She said transforming Lahore from a city known for smog into a city with clean air is the government’s firm commitment, adding that eradicating smog requires collective efforts by the government, industry, farmers and citizens.
Addressing a press conference on anti-smog measures, Marriyum Aurangzeb said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the provincial government had adopted a comprehensive strategy based on modern technology, international best practices, data-driven monitoring and strict field enforcement to tackle smog.
She said Lahore had once become synonymous with smog, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching as high as 1,000. However, the government was now taking coordinated measures to identify and address the sources of air pollution.
The Senior Provincial Minister said that, for the first time, the Punjab government had introduced an integrated system to monitor various factors contributing to smog through the Climate Safe City Dashboard, Climate Watch and advanced air quality monitoring systems. International, regional and local data were being used to analyse wind direction, wind speed, temperature and sources of pollution.
She said polluted air crossing the border could also contribute to an increase in the AQI; however, controlling local sources of pollution remained the government’s foremost priority. Low wind speeds during the morning hours allowed pollutants to accumulate in the atmosphere, while changes in wind speed and direction could improve air quality. Despite these changing weather conditions, the government continued its efforts to control industrial emissions, vehicular smoke, crop residue burning and construction dust.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said approximately 8,000 brick kilns across Punjab had been converted to zigzag technology, and QR codes had been assigned to all kilns. In addition, 709 brick kilns had been fully mechanised. Cameras had been installed on factory chimneys to monitor industrial emissions, while plans were underway to establish low-emission zones in areas facing high pollution levels.
She said the government had provided 10,000 super seeders to farmers at a 60 per cent subsidy to offer alternatives to crop residue burning. Modern agricultural machinery and Kubota harvesters were being used to encourage farmers to utilise crop residue as a productive resource instead of burning it. Changing farming practices and promoting the economic utilisation of agricultural residue were key components of the government’s anti-smog strategy.
The Senior Provincial Minister said that a 13 per cent reduction had been recorded in certain air pollution indicators last year, while pollutant levels across Punjab had declined by 33 per cent. A force comprising 1,000 personnel had been established to ensure compliance with environmental laws. Enforcement operations were continuing through drone surveillance, advanced cameras and digital monitoring systems to identify and address violations.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that five million vehicles had not been the target; rather, 500,000 vehicles were issued emissions certifications last year. She urged citizens to ensure that their vehicles underwent emissions testing.
