Punjab bans public entry to parks, different non-public and public areas



People exercise in a park amid heavy smoggy conditions in Lahore on November 7, 2024. — AFP
Individuals train in a park amid heavy smoggy situations in Lahore on November 7, 2024. — AFP

LAHORE: Because the hazardous layer of smog continues to engulf Punjab, authorities are taking severe measures to manage the influence of the environmental disaster unfolding throughout the province.

In its newest bid to make sure the protection of Punjab’s residents, the province’s Environmental Safety Company has imposed a ban on the general public’s entry in all private and non-private parks, zoos, playgrounds, historic locations, monuments, museums and pleasure/play lands efficient instantly.

In line with a notification — signed by Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh, the director common of the company — on November 8, the order pertaining to the ban might be in drive until November 17 (Sunday).

The territorial jurisdictions of Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan Divisions i.e. Districts of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahudin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Mulan, Lodhran, Vehari and Khanewal are all directed to abide by the ban.

In Lahore, the air high quality index (AQI) reached 860 on IQAir’s real-time rating of most polluted cities right this moment (Friday), which later dipped to 613 by 11:15am. Regardless of the drop in ranges, the town’s air remained nicely throughout the hazardous zone.

Those that try and violate the orders might be punished below part 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The notification maintained that the Punjab authorities is striving laborious to manage all potential intrinsic elements which trigger air air pollution and deteriorate the standard of ambient air.

“Preemptive measures in opposition to all of the sources of air air pollution have already been began by EPA in addition to different involved departments,” it added.

The notification additional learn that the provincial authorities notified a Well being Advisory System for Essential Air Air pollution Occasions (HAS-CAPEs} on December 13, 2022, below which the primary assembly of the Provincial CAPEs Committee (PCC) was held on October 21, 2024, which declared that Essential Air Air pollution Occasion has taken place in Lahore, holding in view the present excessive ranges of Air High quality Index (AQI).

“And whereas, Part 6(1)(t) of The Punjab Environmental Safety Act 1997 empowers EPA to take or trigger to be taken all obligatory measures for the safety, conservation, rehabilitation and enchancment of the atmosphere, prevention and management of air pollution, and promotion of sustainable improvement,” it talked about.