LHC recommends extended school holidays, reducing construction days to combat smog

In a bid to address the worsening smog situation, the Lahore High Court has proposed several preventive measures, including extending winter holidays for schools until January 10 and limiting construction work to two or three days a week.

During a hearing led by Justice Shahid Karim on Tuesday, the court suggested that primary schools extend their winter break until mid-January to mitigate the effects of the ongoing smog.

The court also recommended restricting construction activities to a few days each week and highlighted the importance of selecting project sites where tree-cutting could be avoided as the court directed the authorities to submit a comprehensive report on tree-cutting and transplantation by Friday.

During the hearing, Justice Karim made it clear that tree-cutting, transplantation, or trimming should not be carried out without proper authorisation while urging that any cases of unauthorised tree-cutting be immediately brought to the chief minister, who would personally review and take action.

If no action is taken by the CM, Justice Karim stated that he would take matters into his own hands and pursue criminal charges against the officials responsible, including the Director General of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA).

During the proceedings, Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq informed the court that the Forest Department had been instructed to transplant trees from a bus depot. He also clarified that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had approved the tree-cutting request.

However, the Judicial Commission member revealed that trees had been cut down near the bus depot in the Township area, prompting the court to take immediate notice and direct relevant departments to address the issue.

The advocate general further explained that three trees were cut down to accommodate 27 electric buses scheduled to be stationed at the depot. He stated that a comprehensive plan had been submitted by the construction firm, NESPAK, detailing the project’s execution.

Justice Karim, however, was not satisfied with the explanation and pressed for clarity on who authorised the tree cutting. He questioned why such actions were taken despite prior directives, reiterating that no trees should be cut without proper permission.

He further stressed the importance of preparing for the likely return of smog in January and called on the Education Department to ensure that winter holidays for younger students are implemented earlier.

The court also emphasised the need to regulate construction activities, suggesting that work be limited to only two or three days a week to help combat air pollution.

In response, the advocate general announced that the Punjab government would issue a circular requiring all tree-cutting activities to be reported to the Lahore High Court and Judicial Commission before any action is taken.

The Lahore High Court adjourned the hearing until December 6 to review further developments and the actions taken by the relevant authorities.