Officials summoned over fires in fields

LHC issues order while hearing plea for action against smog

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Shahid Karim has summoned the relevant officials of areas where incidents of setting ablaze remnants of crops have been reported.

Justice Karim was hearing a plea for implementation of the laws and rules for protecting the environment from smog.

The petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel through its chairman Mohammad Azhar Siddique requested strict action against the violators under the Pollution Charge of Industries Rules, 2017.

The counsel argued that there is a need to take strict action against industrial activities violating the anti-pollution rules.

He implored the court that air pollution is a permanent threat to the world. In Pakistan, poor air quality creates problems like lead toxicity, asthma and greenhouses gas accumulation.

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He said immediate action is required to save 140 million people of Punjab, which is more developed and industrialised than the other provinces.

The petition sought an inquiry into matters relating to ‘grotesquely’ expanding city boundaries, master plans, urbanisation, agriculture, industry, vehicles, roads, industrial emissions, waste burning, depletion of green ground cover, cutting of trees and many other aspects that are the root cause of hazardous pollution in light of an LHC judgment.

It also prayed for directions to the respondents to place on record all remedial measures taken to address the prevailing condition of smog in the whole of Punjab. Smog for the last few years has had an adverse effect on the citizens, jeopardising their right to life.

The petitioner’s counsel requested issuance of instructions for monitoring of the ecology, plantation of trees, maintenance of public parks, grounds and green cover.

He said samples taken from urban areas showed a higher concentration of trace metal.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2021.