LAHORE – On the direction of Lahore High Court, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab on Wednesday declared smog a calamity and suggested relevant authorities to take necessary measures for controlling the menace.
In a letter addressed to administrative secretaries, Additional IGP Traffic, commissioners and deputy commissioners in the province, PDMA Director conveyed declaring smog as a calamity under Section 3 of the Punjab National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958.
“Honorable Lahore High Court during hearing on 01.11.2023 has ordered to declare Smog as Calamity. Therefore, above referred orders are hereby being shared again for your convenience and to ensure enforcement”, the letter reads.
DCs have been given the powers of Relief Commissioner to take necessary measures including action against burning of any type of crop residue, vehicles emitting visible smoke and pollutants falling into inadmissible limits, industries working without emission control system contributing deterioration in Air Quality Index, stone crushers operating without wet scrubbers and burning of all types of solid waste, tyres, rubber and plastics.
Relief Commissioners are also directed to take action against sale and use of all types of sub-standard fuels, encroachments which cause hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic on public roads including footpaths, any kind of parking which may cause hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic, all types of activities without proper safeguard which contribute in generating fugitive dust, uncovered and open dumping/storage of construction material, uncovered transportation of construction material like sand, mud and cement and any unauthorized activity which may cause pollution.
