PTI govt takes steps to control smog: Amin says

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change Amin Aslam on Monday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has taken special measures besides evolving long and short term policies to control smog in the country.

Addressing a press conference regarding 100-day performance on environment related issues at Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) Punjab, he said the PTI government soon after coming into power formulated a comprehensive policy to monitor and overcome smog as there was no such policy before in the country.

He said that monitoring radars at Jail Road and Wagah Border were functioning which helped in identifying air quality index that was below than 200.

The air monitoring stations in and around Lahore city were also being established, he added.

The adviser said that a crackdown had also been launched against those causing air and environmental pollution, adding that challans were issued to more than 4,000 kiln owners, whereas about 70 percent small steel mills in provincial capital had been converted to modern technology to combat smog, he maintained.

As many as 10,000 kiln owners have been directed to switch over to Zig-Zag technology to prevent smog situation, he said and added that during a crackdown, 18,000 challans were issued to owners of smoke-emitting vehicles.

The smoke emitting vehicles would not be allowed to run on roads as these can cause smog and respiratory problems in human beings, he maintained.

To a question, Amin Aslam said that the government would also take up the issue of trans-boundary pollution due to burning of crop leftover with India. He said that there were four major sources of smog including smoke-emitting vehicles, brick kiln, industry and crop burning.