Govt to enforce green cover obligation

Marriyum warns housing schemes of scrutiny

LAHORE:

In pursuit of its efforts to combat air pollution, the Punjab government, while continuing to take punitive measures against hundreds of smoke emitting factories and brick kilns besides other steps, plans to go after private housing societies over violation of green cover, according to Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

With Pakistani cities often topping the list of world's most polluted cities, and a considerable uptick in pollution related illnesses, the provincial government in Punjab has rolled out an all-encompassing 'Road map for smog mitigation in Punjab'. Given the urgency of the matter, since assuming charge of the government, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's team was moving with a multi-faceted approached to combat the health hazard on a war footing.

The importance the government has given to climate change is reflected from the fact that the senior minister has been put in charge of the ministry to ensure that all the clog and wheels of government remain in motion without any bureaucratic or coordination related hurdles. As per the road map for smog mitigation in Punjab, there was a 20 to 30 per cent increase in breathing related hospitalisation, 15% in asthma cases, and citing The Express Tribune reports, it stated that over 500 patients were admitted in a single day last year due to complications associated to hazardous air quality.

In view of this, the government back in April started working out a plan to combat air pollution. Focus on taking punitive action against industries and vehicles causing air pollution and stubble burning is also being given along with a long term policy of transitioning to greener mass transit, fuel quality inspection and plantation drives.

Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said while talking to The Express Tribune that the government had adopted the best practices implemented throughout the world, especially China, to combat air pollution, in particular smog. She said the authorities were moving forward with an all-encompassing approach that ranges from promoting electric vehicles to demolishing smoke emitting industries, cracking down on substandard fuel and urban forestation.

She said that other than the measures that have already been taken, the government will also go after housing societies which have brought down their tree cover considerably.

She said the environment protection department is empowered to inspect private and cooperative housing schemes to ensure the required tree cover. She said that action would be taken against those housing schemes that were not abiding by their commitment under law. She said that smog is a becoming a very serious concern for the government, which it was combating on a war footing. She said that under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, all departments are working in unison to achieve the goal of a cleaner air.

Environment department officials said the Lahore Air Quality Index deterioration was not entirely their doing as 30 per cent of air pollution transcends from India. The officials said that of the 70 per cent of the city's own pollution, 80 per cent is owing to traffic. There are seven million vehicles in Lahore, which is the main reason for smog, the officials said.

Of the remaining 30 per cent 17 per cent was linked to industries and brick kilns. The officials said the biggest challenges is tackling vehicular pollution.

They said the government had adopted a two-pronged strategy on the front. One was to check the fuel quality to ensure that cleaner fuel goes into the vehicle so that its emission is less toxic. "Secondly, we require to move towards electric vehicles."

An official said the government is gradually moving towards e-vehicles but sans the proper infrastructure, which meant installation of fast chargers and battery swapping facilities, without which the e-vehicles would not take off.