Shopping timings relaxed for Christmas

Justice directs relevant quarters against de-sealing factories which spread smoke, pollution

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Shahid Karim ordered shopping centers to remain open until midnight this weekend ahead of Christmas. Justice Karim was hearing different petitions about how smog could be controlled; society could be made polluted free and ground-water could be protected from wastage.

Justice Karim had also directed the relevant quarters against de-sealing factories which spread smoke and pollution, pending the decision of the court.

In previous proceedings, Justice Karim had directed the relevant authorities to impose a fine of Rs5,000 over illegal parking of vehicles and an Rs3,000 fine over washing cars at homes.

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With regards to smoky vehicles, Justice Karim also ordered authorities to impose a fine of Rs3,000 on them. Meanwhile, he further ordered the demolition of brick kilns causing pollution by operating on outdated technology. Justice Karim also ordered Rs2,000 fines over violations of “one-way” driving to prevent violations of traffic rules.

It is pertinent to mention that the court had also instituted a new fine of Rs200,000, increasing it from the previous fine of Rs50,000, against those found involved in stubble burning across the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2023.