Smog Lockdown Looms: Govt Considers 3-Day Lockdown in Lahore, Multan
Smog has become a national disaster, says Marriyum Aurangzeb
Lahore-(Tahir Chuhdary)-Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced a health emergency in Lahore and Multan today, citing the alarming levels of smog engulfing both cities ¹. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Aurangzeb warned that a lockdown may be imposed from Friday to Sunday to combat the crisis.
Addressing the news conference, the senior minister said that all the concerned departments were consulted before formulating the 10-year plan to combat smog.
According to senior minister, she really wanted to brief the court over the issue as the Lahore High Court on Friday directed the Punjab government to make a long-term policy to deal with smog.
The senior minister said that a ban has been imposed on the construction sides in both Lahore and Multan. She added that the government was also mulling to extend the closure of schools for another week due to the severe situation.
She also urged the people to avoid the outdoor activities as well.
Anti-Smog Strategies,
Earlier, Aurangzeb chaired a meeting to discuss anti-smog strategies, outlining a comprehensive sectoral action plan ². Key initiatives include:
– Vehicle Certification: Mandatory fitness certificates for vehicles and annual inspections
– QR Monitoring System: Tracking vehicle emissions through QR codes
– Energy Audit: Assessing energy plants to reduce emissions
– Solar Energy: Transitioning government buildings to solar power
– Waste Management: Enhancing waste reduction and disposal
– Afforestation: Planting 20,000 trees in Lahore
