Lahore: As smog worsens in Lahore, Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued a notification for private sector employees. It instructed the private sector to give its employees 2 days’ work from home.
As the problem of smog recently worsened in Lahore, LHC heard the cases and considered the hearings to prevent the citizens falling sick due to the smog hazardous for human health. Therefore, private sector employees are given 2 days’ work from home.
Moreover, earlier today, Punjab government issued the notification that all schools will have three days off a week due to the extreme smog in Lahore. The schools will remained closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
It said: “All schools of Lahore will remain closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, The decision of three weekly off days will remain in force till the next order.”
Punjab government has announced “environmental emergency” in the city and has declared the city “calamity-hit.”
The air quality of Lahore is deteriorating with every passing day.
At 5:30 pm today, the air quality of the city on the AIQ (Air Quality Index) was 184. This figure is alarming. Moreover, Lahore is the fifth most polluted city of the world, according to the iqair.com.
Smoke from vehicles, industries, and burning of remains of crops are the main causes of the smog in Lahore.
In news conference today, Punjab’s Chief Minister Pervez Elahi said
“A ban has also been imposed on the burning of crop residues across the province.”
He further warned that strict action will be taken against those violating the orders.
He also advised giving modern harvesters to the farmers in order to prevent the burning of crop remains.
Moreover, suggestion of transferring the brick kilns to zigzag technology was also put forward.
He told the citizens that anti-smog squads will check vehicles that emit smoke. Strict action will be taken against the violators.
It is proposed that this campaign against smog will continue for 3 months.