LHC raises motorbike helmet fine

Court had taken up different petitions on controlling smog, pollution and wastage of groundwater

LAHORE:

Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the imposition Rs5,000 fine on motorcyclists who do not bother to wear helmets.

Justice Karim was hearing various petitions on controlling smog, making society pollution-free, and protecting groundwater from wastage.

During the proceedings, Justice Karim directed the traffic officials to make all-out efforts to establish rules regarding helmet-wearing.

Heavy fines of Rs5,000 should be imposed on violators and it is expected that people will correct their behaviour themselves.

However, the judge also instructed them to run a comprehensive awareness campaign for the first 10 days and then impose the fines. The judge also expressed displeasure over rainwater pooling in the recently constructed underpass at Kalma Chowk. The judge then requested a report from the concerned officials by the next date.

The court had previously imposed a ban on cutting trees in Lahore city and mandated that legislation be enacted to declare tree cutting a serious offense in educational institutions.

The court also restricted the environment department from issuing NOCs for any project that caused tree loss. It is pertinent to mention that the court had also increased the fine for stubble burning cases across the province from Rs50,000 to Rs200,000.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2023.