Lahore High Court hints at a week-long lockdown in view of air pollution in the city

 

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has imposed a state of emergency for a week due to air pollution in the city.

Justice Shahid Karim of the apex court heard the petitions filed by Haroon Farooq and Shiraz Zaka and others regarding smog.

At the beginning of the hearing, Justice Shahid Karim asked if any government body checks the air quality.

Advocate Azhar Siddique informed the court that it is the responsibility of the environment department to check the air quality. The focal person of the Judicial Water Commission told the court that the incidence of crop burning has decreased.

Justice Shahid Karim said that many brick kilns are still working on old technology and also inquired whether the air quality has improved.

The director of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that the air quality index, which measures air quality, remained at 400 due to Monday's holiday, otherwise it would have been 600, while it is likely to drop to 200 on Sunday. ۔

Justice Shahid Karim remarked that to prepare, it may be necessary to lock down to improve air quality.

He said that all the concerned departments should meet and consider the proposal of environmental emergency, one week environmental emergency may have to be imposed.

He remarked that immediate action was needed in the current situation.

Justice Shahid Karim said that make a report in which there are experts, now we are doing what we think is best.

He further said that the government should of course hire a foreign expert on the issue of smog and start work on the report.

Appreciating the role of traffic police, the court said that the role of traffic police is very good and their work is commendable. During the hearing, Lahore Mayor Col (retd) Mubashir informed that tires are burnt in the steel industry.

On which the court directed to immediately lodge a complaint with the Water and Environment Commission where the tires were burnt.

The Director PDMA told the court that we have created an application for reporting traffic and environmental pollution on which Justice Shahid Karim directed to publicize this application.

Later, the Lahore High Court adjourned the hearing of the smog case for a week.