• Traders offered Sunday as alternative ‘open day’; stubble burning banned
• Punjab cabinet to decide on school closures, work-from-home at next meeting

LAHORE: As Lahore often tops the list of the world’s most polluted cities, the divisional administration on Tuesday anno­u­nced the decision to close down all commercial markets of the provincial capital and its adjoining districts on every Wednesday, starting from October 18, for a period of two months, to counter smog.

The administration also decided to shut schools and other public and private organisations/departments and adopt a work-from-home policy from next Wednesday if the Pun­­jab government acc­o­rds approval to this proposal.

A spokesperson for the Punjab government said a final decision regarding the weekly holiday for schools and other smog-related matters would be taken at the upcoming meeting of the caretaker provincial cabinet.

The spokesperson emp­h­a­sised that conclusive judgements are pending regarding the expert suggestions and recommendations that were presented in a cabinet committee for anti-smog measures.

All proposed strategies and recommendations aimed at combating smog will be thoroughly examined in the upcoming cabinet meeting.

The spokesperson further said a recent meeting of the anti-smog cabinet committee saw the presentation of numerous proposals focused on smog reduction. Experts and relevant departments also put forth several recommendations during the meeting.

The decision regarding the closure of markets was taken at a meeting held at the headquarters of the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation. During the meeting, jointly presided over by Commissioner and LDA Director General Muhammad Ali Randhawa and CCPO Bilal Sidique Kamyana, issues related to increasing smog and the expected poor weather situation during winter came under discussion.

“Traders’ representatives were told on the occasion that the deteriorating Air Quality Index of Lahore can be improved if a holiday is observed on Wednesday, since three days of every week [Tuesday to Thursday] witness Lahore as going on peak in terms of AQI,” an official privy to the meeting said while sharing the discussion held between the representatives of the administration and traders.

The official said traders, in return, were offered to open their shops on Sunday. The traders accepted the offer and agreed to shut their shops on Wednesday from October 18.

Meanwhile, the Lahore commissioner, in a statement, said the body had taken all traders into confidence before executing the plan meant for reducing the smog.

According to him, since all traders have agreed to do so, the administration also wants all public and private sector organisations, including educational institutions, to observe holiday and adopt work-from-home policy from next Wednesday.

“If the Punjab cabinet accords approval to this proposal, all aforementioned institutions will start observing holiday on every Wednesday,” Commissioner Randhawa said.

He said the administration had also imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, banning burning of stubble in agricultural fields in all districts of Lahore division. Under this ban, according to him, there would be no entry of tractor-trolleys in the city carrying sand and other material without cover.

“All smoke-emitting vehicles will not be allowed to enter or run in Lahore. And if someone depu­ted on duty found negligent in enforcing the laws will also be dealt with iron hands,” he added.

The Lahore division’s chief said a tree-plantation drive had also been launched in Lahore in a bid to control smog.

The Water and Sanitation Agency, Parks and Horticulture Authority and Lahore Waste Management Company have been entrusted with the task of ensuring cleanliness and keeping sprinkling water in and around all public and private sector projects’ sites in Lahore and other districts.

CCPO Kamyana praised the traders for supporting the suggestions on smog control. “You are allowed to open markets on Sundays if you want as there will be no issue in this regard.”

Earlier, traders also highlighted their issues and suggested measures to counter smog, including tree plantation, proper parking facility, removal of encroachments and different timings for markets.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2023