Helpless EPD accused India of Smog

Lahore : The helpless Environment Protection Department has accused India of Smog in Lahore and other parts of the province which even don’t have border with neighbouring countries.

The minister shamelessly claimed that Stubble burning in India was causing Smog in Lahore and other parts of the province. Smog which was experienced by the residents of the metropolis first time just a year back in 2016 soon after the energy production at coal power projects at Sheikhupura and Sahiwal.

It was a total failure of planning by the government to cope with the energy crisis in the country as CM Shahbaz Sharif ,the most powerful ruler of the Punjab after Maharaja Ranjit Singh , decided to establish coal power projects in the province. The powerless EPD even could not oppose the environment challenger coal power projects which were abolished in rest of the world.

The cutting of the trees under Shahbaz Sharif’s government for the expansion of the roads in Lahore was another factor but EPD did not open the lips to stop or condemn the cutting of the trees.

The housing societies mafia proved a hostile enemy of the environment as they vanished the green area of the city by developing housing societies on agri-land. The mega DHA was developed completely on agri-land, all the societies built on Burki Road , Ferozepur Road, Raiwind Road and partial areas with Lahore Canal were once used for farming , gardening and cultivation but in few years all these areas were converted into housing societies but law did not take its course to save environment .

The industries smoke in the residential areas and development work also affecting environment but neither minister nor the secretary taken responsibility and blamed India for Smog.

They even did not show courage to admit coal power projects are a danger to environment.

Begum Zakia Shahnawaz claimed that EPD and all concerned departments of the Government are taking strict actions against polluters to control Smog.

Capt. Retd. Saif Anjum, Secretary Environment, Punjab told that instructions have been issued to all field formations of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Punjab and all other concerned departments for taking effective measures to control air pollution and smog in the Province as per their role specified in the Smog Policy.

He told that Smog (Particulate Matter / Air Pollutants/ Smoke + Fog = Smog) is a type of air pollution, originally derived its name from the mixture of smoke and fog in the air.

Photochemical smog is derived from coal emissions, vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, forest and agricultural fires and photochemical reactions of these emissions.

Stubble burning (Harvested Crop Residual Material) in agricultural areas is another major cause of Smog especially in Punjab.

Zakia Shahnawaz told that the Chief Minister Punjab constituted a special committee last year to deliberate upon the issue of smog and to take concrete actions in this regard. So we are working very seriously upon this issue.

She requested all Chambers of Commerce & Industry to fully cooperate with the EPD .

Saif Anjum requested Home Department and Deputy Commissioners to implement ban on stubble burning under Section 144 in the next two months.

EPA officers have been directed to take immediate action under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 against all such industries and brick kilns using substandard fuel and running their units without emission control devices like wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators and fly ash arrestors etc.

 

 

Mr. Rehman also told that Local Government Department has been requested to improve solid waste management practices and imposition of complete ban on burning of solid waste.