LHC summons environment secy

CJ says government’s performance is just limited to official documents

LAHORE: Since the Punjab government has failed to submit details about the measures it took to deal with the smog issue in the province, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah summoned the environment secretary on Tuesday (today), along with the complete record.

The chief justice was hearing a petition moved by Advocate Sheraz Zaka against environmental pollution and smog. He also expressed serious concerns over the Punjab government’s negligence in taking the  required steps.

“The Punjab government’s performance is just limited to the official documents,” Shah remarked. “It is simply awful that the environment department has not been able to measure the level of smog in the air.”



Barrister Sara Belal, who was appointed as amicus curie, told the court that a health emergency should be enforced in the province and certain departments, such as environment, should be closed.

Earlier, the environment department presented a notified copy of the smog policy. The petitioner said earlier people did not have pure drinking water and now the air is also not safe. He added smog had also been affecting animals.

Zaka requested the court to order the Punjab government to take effective measures to control pollution and enforce the smog policy to protect the environment.

Student protest against smog

It seems the Punjab government’s efforts to deal with the smog have gone in vain as the outpatient departments of all major hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases.

“It doesn’t matter if people wear facemasks or not, they are getting affected by the dense smog.

Since the smog issue started, I always wear a facemask before going out, but I don’t think it works,” says Faisal Town resident Sheikh Saqib. “I suffered respiratory problems despite adopting all precautionary measures.”



In order to pressure the government to take the smog issue seriously, a small group of students protested outside the Lahore Press Club on Monday. They chanted slogans against the government’s failure to address the environmental woes affecting the province. The protesters demanded that government declare a health emergency and take steps to implement strict environmental policies.

National School of Arts student Ali Imran said that the government has failed to enforce environmental regulations. “Moreover, it did not take action against industries, power plants, construction contractors and waste management companies which caused smog in the city.”

A doctor at the Lahore General Hospital (LGH), speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that not only LGH, but doctors of all major hospitals were dealing with the patients suffering from respiratory problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2017.