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Environmental Protection Agency to expand operational focus beyond central Lahore, deploy officers in city
An aerial shot shows people commute along a street amid heavy smoggy conditions in Lahore. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Authorities have been directed to ensure that no smoke-emitting vehicle is seen on the roads of Lahore over the next two weeks.
The order came from the Lahore High Court, which bars such vehicles from entering the city through the motorway or any other route.
While hearing petitions related to environmental pollution, Justice Shahid Karim remarked that emissions from vehicles travelling between Lahore, Karachi, and the interior of Sindh are contributing significantly to Lahore’s worsening air quality.
The justice stressed that the Grand Trunk Road must not be ignored in the enforcement drive.
Read: Lahore breathes easy as smog eases
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also been ordered by the court to expand its operational focus beyond central Lahore, and to deploy officers at the city’s entry and exit points.
The EPA has further been instructed to submit its duty rosters to the courts and to ensure strict monitoring across routes.
If previous court directives had been properly implemented, Justice Karim observed, the pollution situation would not have worsened to this extent.
The Water and Sanitation Agency submitted a report during the proceedings, stating that Phase One of its development works had been completed, with funds for road restoration having already been transferred to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).
Meanwhile, a law officer pointed out that the Air Quality Index even inside the courtroom had crossed 190, prompting the installation of air purifiers in the court itself.
The proceedings were adjourned until Monday.
