LAHORE – In Lahore, a wave of thick, toxic fog commonly known as smog enveloped the metropolis that caused a large number of people to fall ill, especially elderly persons and school-going students.

The alarming levels of smog pushed the Punjab government to announce early winter vacations in schools, and colleges, and students are waiting until December 18 to enjoy the winter break.

On Saturday, Punjab Interim Chief Minister (CM) Mohsin Naqvi held a media talk in which he addressed several issues about Lahore, especially in the current situation due to smog. Chief Minister stated that the provincial capital is currently facing significant challenges but said schools cannot be shut down currently due to ongoing examinations.

Ruling out rumours of early vacations, CM said winter vacations are slated to start from December 18 to January 1.

He further highlighted steps to curb smog, saying Lahore Waste Management Company started washing dozens of roads in the city twice a week. Naqvi mentioned suggested expanding the cleaning efforts to roads such as Multan Road, Ferozpur Road, and Circular Road.