The caretaker Punjab government has issued instructions to all the deputy commissioners to start a crackdown on polluters for controlling smog.
The instructions were issued by Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman while presiding over a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat here on Thursday.
The Senior Member Board of Revenue and secretaries of departments concerned attended the meeting while all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
The Chief Secretary ordered that stern action should be taken against stubble burning, the industries and vehicles causing air pollution and special anti-smog squads be formed in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, and Sialkot. He said that preventive measures are indispensable to overcome the smog, adding that the responsibilities would be reassigned to the departments.
The Chief Secretary mentioned that all the departments should make collective efforts to control smog. The task of controlling environmental pollution is a service to humanity, he added. The Chief Secretary also asked the deputy commissioners to ensure construction of new washrooms for passengers at petrol pumps situated at highways.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of the “Ab Gaon Chamkeinge” program and the campaign against encroachments.
The officials briefed the participants that special check-posts would be established in Lahore for checking smoke-emitting vehicles and surveillance would be done through drone cameras with thermal sensors at night.
They said that only brick kilns with zigzag technology would be allowed to work.
