Smoke-emitting vehicles get advisory

Authority orders smoke quality standard to be maintained at 40 percent

RAWALPINDI:

The environmental protection department has ordered the smoke quality standard be maintained at 40 percent for all smoke-emitting vehicles in Rawalpindi district.

The measure has been taken to control smog in winter. To check the quality standard, the Punjab government has provided the department with modern equipment.

The inspection campaign was in Rawalpindi district in collaboration with the city traffic police (CTP). The vehicles whose smoke index shows at 40 percent will be penalised while the owners of vehicles having an index slightly below the threshold will receive a warning and told to fix the problem.

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The Environmental Department Laboratory Deputy Director Noor Ahmed and senior Research Officer Muhammad Amin Baig told The Express Tribune that the campaign will be carried out daily till the end of winter season.

They said joint teams comprising personnel from the department and CTP have been constituted for the campaign.

The officials said pickets will be set up on different roads and there will be zero tolerance against smoke-emitting vehicles onward. They added that environmental pollution cannot be tolerated any further. They said the inspection will be done daily and the quality will be checked using modern machinery.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2021.