The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) will be the chief coordinating body for managing Punjab’s plan for mitigating and preventing smog in coming winter season while it will conduct research, policy-making, SOPS and create awareness about the socio-economic impact of smog as well.
The government will incentivize the industry for shifting their industries on environment friendly technologies while massive public awareness campaign will be run by the government to create awareness among the public about the SOMG and steps taken by the government to avert it. Furthermore, the departments will instruct to strictly implement the SOPS in their respective areas.
The decisions were made by Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bkaht while chairing a meeting of the committee constituted by the Punjab chief minister on smog control. The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister Assistant on Climate Change Malik Ameen Aslam, Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal, Environment Minister Muhammad Rizwan, Head of Chief Minister Special Monitoring Unit Fazeel Asif, secretaries of environment, industry, transport departments, DG PDMA Khuram Shahzad and Additional Inspector General of Police (operations) and other official concern.
The minister observed that smog occurred due to climate change in months of November and December has become a disaster and should be countered accordingly. He said that in the wake of covid-19 when the world is fighting against the pandemic, it is high time to control the smog on emergency basis. The new task of controlling the by the PDMA is assigned following the performance of it to control the Locust Attack and Covid-19 management, he observed.
The PDMA will also procure required equipment for smog control, medicines and other related items. Further, the authority will also conduct training for shifting of brick kilns to zigzag technology, install scrubbers under green Punjab program. The PDMA will ensure implementation on comprehensive planning to control the smog.
The minister instructed the secretary transport and AIG to ensure that of smoke emitting vehicles should not ply on the roads besides, creating awareness among the public about it to avoid any backlash from the public on closing of vehicles.
The minister observed that the environment and transport departments’ initiatives to control-19 pandemic which need to kicked off again.
