Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has announced to impose environmental and health emergencies for the next four days in Lahore Division, Gujranwala and Hafizabad to combat smog.
While addressing a presser at his office on Tuesday, the CM said that Section 144 has been imposed in Lahore Division, Gujranwala and Hafizabad. There is a public holiday on November 9 and Friday has also been decided as a holiday. Meanwhile, Saturday and Sunday are weekly holidays; he added and stated that educational institutions, government and private offices, cinemas, parks and restaurants would remain closed during environmental and health emergencies while markets would remain shut on Saturday.
The CM Naqvi added that marriage halls, bakeries, pharmacies, public transport and construction activities would not be halted. Similarly, the government was not going to shut factories. He maintained that Lahore badly needs environmental rest; prevention from smog is imperative as it is not a good phenomenon. The children and elderly people are facing asthma and eye diseases; he noted and added that decisions have been taken in the light of experts’ recommendations during a meeting of the cabinet committee for environment/smog.
The smog-related meeting has decided on a public holiday on November 10. Markets would remain closed on Saturday while traders would be consulted for deciding about shutting down markets on Friday, he added. The purpose of these decisions was to decrease the smog level; CM said and appealed to the children and elderly citizens to wear facemasks. The holiday decision was temporary and would apply to this week only; he explained and maintained that indispensable decisions have been taken in the wake of an environmental emergency.
The chief minister said that India burns 4 times more crop residue than Pakistan, which increases smog. The burning of crop residue across the border was directly affecting us. In the Indian city of Delhi, holidays and other decisions were also taken, so the smog situation improved, he noted.
Provincial Ministers Amir Mir, Bilal Afzal, Dr. Javed Akram, Mansoor Qadir, IGP, ACS (Home), CCPO, and commissioner Lahore were also present.