Bodies formed to prevent smog in coming winter

Official says these committees will start working from July 18

RAWALPINDI:

The Department of Environmental Protection has formed regular Smog control and treatment plant checking committees for inspection and monitoring of water treatment plants in large factories.

The committees also aim to prevent and control smog during the coming winter. These committees will begin work next week, July 18.

The members of the committees include the field staff of the Department of Environmental Protection and the laboratory staff. Ameen Beg, a senior research officer at the laboratory, and Muhammad Rafique, the deputy director, will serve as the committees' chairmen.

The committee will monitor the amount of smoke released from vehicles, industries, brick kilns, and agricultural wastes daily. In order to halt the vehicles from releasing smoke, heavy challans would be fined. All the brick-kilns releasing smoke would be sealed whereas the majority of factories will go through a detailed inspection of their water treatment facilities.

Muhammad Ameen Beg, Senior Research Officer of the Laboratory for Environmental Protection's Department said that these committees were formed on the orders of the Punjab Government.

“Their main goal is to take decisive measures against all vehicles, brick-kilns, factories, and other smoke emitting sources before the onset of winters. Smog does not form in a day, it begins in this season. Currently, black poisonous smoke from burning vehicles, factories, kilns, and crops is being formed in the atmosphere. This smoke will contaminate the entire atmosphere within three to four months. Therefore, it must be controlled immediately so that the pollution levels subside these winters," he said.

He added that the traffic Police Regional Transport Authority is also being called on board to take action against smoke-emitting vehicles. They have also assured their cooperation.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2022.