‘Collective measures a must to fight smog’

Punjab Secretary for Environment Usman Ali Khan on Thursday said that collective measures were a must to eliminate the menace of smog.

He was speaking at a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI).

LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Vice President Adnan Khalid Butt, Executive Committee Members and former office-bearers were present.

The Secretary Environment said that the genuine businessmen should not support those elements that were responsible for environmental pollution.

He said that the smog level in Lahore was high, adding that the role of factories was only 20 to 30 percent and the major contributors were 6.5 million vehicles in Lahore with 42 percent share in smog. He said that the kilns and dust were also prominent causes of smog.

He urged the industrialists not to support the elements that were using carbon, rubber, tyres and other prohibited fuel.

Usman Ali Khan said that the genuine industrialists were well aware of the environment related standards and ensuring their implementation.

He said that action was being taken against those factories where scrubbers were not installed, adding that the factories that had scrubbers but those scrubbers were not working properly were only being given notices. He said the Punjab government was going to unroll the Smog Policy 2022 soon, adding that there was a need to introduce cheap technology for the industries to control pollution.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2022.