Brick kilns sealed, vehicles fined for smoke emission

Okara police register 179 FIRs over violation of anti-smog restrictions

OKARA:

The district administration has sealed a number of brick kilns that were emitting smoke despite warnings from the government to suspend their operation during the smog season.

According to officials, hundreds of FIRs have been registered against owners of kilns and smoke emitting vehicles at various police stations to prevent smog. Heavy fines have also been imposed against those who set fire to garbage and crop residues in any area.

In the light of orders of the Punjab government, Deputy Commissioner Usman Ali and District Police Officer Faisal Shehzad have instructed relevant officials to take strict action against those causing smog.

A special team has been formed for preventing smog with Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sardar Riaz as its focal person and Assistant Commissioner Amna Maududi, Chief Officer Municipal Corporation Rana Naveed, District Agriculture Officer Shahbaz Ali, Rescue 1122 In-charge Zafar Iqbal, Deputy Director Information Khursheed Jilani and an officer of environment department, the president of the Kiln Association and regional president of Pakistan Medical Association as members.

The DPO has appointed District Traffic Officer Pir Riaz as the focal person for crackdown on smoke emitting vehicles. The SHOs of the police stations have also been directed to ensure registration of cases as soon as complaints of burning of crop residues are received from the agriculture department.

On one hand, the assistant commissioners and SDPOs in the three tehsils are informing the citizens about smog prevention measures as part of an awareness campaign, while on the other had 179 FIRs have been registered in 19 police stations across the district over violation of the restrictions imposed in this regard.

So far, 12 cases have been registered in Okara, 24 in Renala Khurd and 109 in Depalpur tehsil.

Rescue teams and fire brigade have doused fires set in fields in more than 200 incidents. The traffic police imposed fines on more than 300 smoke-emitting vehicles. The traffic police also cancelled the route permits of 40 vehicles and impounded them, while cases were registered against the drivers of six vehicles. The licences of several drivers were cancelled.

Help has also been sought from members of the local peace committee, religious leaders and business organisations in the anti-smog campaign. All the brick kilns except those using the zigzag design have been shut down by the district administration.

According to District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ijaz Hussain Awan, the duration of smog is mostly from the night till morning. During this time, people should avoid coming out of their houses unnecessarily. Citizens must use masks whenever they go out. Continuous use of masks can save them from harmful effects of smog. It mainly affects young children and the elderly and complaints of flu, cold and dry cough are more common.

In this regard, the health department has set up separate counters in all the hospitals of the district along with abundant medicines.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2020.