LAHORE – Lahore Commissioner Zaid-bin-Maqsood and Secretary of the Punjab Environment Department Raja Jahangir Anwar held a review meeting to discuss the Green Zone Smog Lockdown Strategy, here on Monday. The district administration and environment officials provided an update on ongoing measures to combat smog. The officials reported that commercial generators within the Green Zone are being strictly monitored. BBQ and food outlets in the Shimla Pahari area are required to close by 8 PM, with ongoing monitoring of compliance. The shifting of parking from the NADRA office in Shimla Pahari has resulted in improved air quality, and a shuttle service has been established from Bibi Pak Daman parking to the NADRA office. Regular fog spraying and wet sweeping have been mandated throughout the area, while loading and unloading hours for vehicles entering the Green Zone have been restricted. All relevant departments are enforcing bans on encroachments and construction activities. To enhance public awareness about smog, a door-to-door campaign has been initiated in the Shimla Pahari area, distributing educational materials to residents. Commissioner Zaid-bin-Maqsood emphasized the necessity of limiting commercial factors contributing to smog and urged increased awareness about wearing masks, encouraging residents to take this precaution seriously. The district administration is fully cooperating with the Environment Department to address these issues. Key officials present at the meeting included Additional Commissioner Hamid Malhi, DG LDA Tahir Farooq, DC Lahore Syed Musa Raza, CTO Lahore Ammara Athar, and other environmental officers. Meanwhile, Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said on Monday that 22 anti-smog squads had been established in the paddy cultivation areas which were not only providing technical guidance to the farmers but also taking legal action against those burning of paddy residues. He said this while presiding over the meeting here. Anti-smog squad of Agriculture Department was active 24/7, he said and added that till now, 1125 acres of paddy crop had been set on fire in Punjab and 123 FIRs had been registered against those who were involved in setting fire. Fines had been imposed on those violating smog rules across the province. Smog committees were active at the village level. Awareness campaign about the harms of smog was underway. Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo further said that under the Chief Minister Punjab Smog Control Program, 5000 super seeders were being provided to the farmers at a cost of 5 billion rupees with 60 percent subsidy. Guidance was also being provided to the farmers regarding the use of these super seeders. He further said that 350,000 warning notices had also been issued to the paddy farmers from July 2024 till now.
