Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz calls for climate and smog diplomacy to be developed with India. Her statements regarding the ongoing smog season in Punjab came in.
She said there is a need to increase cooperation with Indian Punjab to tackle the weather phenomenon of ‘smog’. Maryam described the issue as more humanitarian and less political.
Addressing an event in Lahore on Wednesday, she said she may write to her Indian counterpart to discuss collaborative efforts to foster “smog diplomacy.”
With the air quality deteriorating in the city, citizens continued to complain about burning eyes, irritation in the throat, cough, and other health-related issues.
In the wake of the deteriorating air quality index in Lahore, the Punjab Government has imposed a green lockdown in the provincial capital. The Air Quality Index in Lahore has reached 300 in some spots, whereas it recorded 284 on average. In this regard, the Director General, of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), issued a notification. The order read that the government is trying to control all the intrinsic reasons for the air pollution in the city.
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Pre-emptive measures against all the sources of air pollution have already been taken by EPA as well as other departments concerned, he said. “And whereas, after a thorough analysis of the current wave of deterioration of air quality in Lahore, the following areas have been identified as air pollution hotspots: Surrounding areas of Davis Road, Edgerton Road, Durand Road, and Kashmir Road. “Surrounding areas of Abbott Road from Shimla Hill to Gulistan Cinema, surrounding areas of Empress Road from Shimla Hill to Railway Headquarters. Surrounding areas of Queen Marry Road, starting from Durand Road to Allama Iqbal Road,” the order stated.
Restrictions have been imposed on the hotspots of air pollution, which include a complete ban on construction activities, a complete ban on the entrance of Qinqchi Rickshaws, a ban on commercial generators, a ban on open food cooking, and others.