Lahore chokes on smog, revises market hours

Administration directs markets to close at 10 pm

LAHORE:

The district authorities in Lahore have decided to revise the business hours of all markets in compliance with a Lahore High Court (LHC) order and a Punjab Assembly resolution, seeking remedy for the rising problem of smog.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Musa Raza on Tuesday evening directed all assistant commissioners to ensure implementation of a 2023 notification regarding business timings.

As part of anti-smog measures, markets will close at 10 pm and restaurants and cafés at 11 pm from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, markets will remain open from 2 pm to 10 pm, while home delivery services will be allowed until 2 am.

However, medical stores, bakeries, tandoors, milk shops, hospitals, laboratories, petrol pumps, and puncture repair shops will be exempted from these restrictions.

DC Raza stated that adherence to the new business hours is mandatory, warning that shops, hotels, and restaurants violating the order will be sealed and subjected to heavy fines.

Authorities in Punjab have intensified enforcement efforts, sealing multiple factories and dismantling polluting industrial units. The government has also activated 41 modern air-quality monitoring systems, deployed drone squads, and designated "smog-free zones."

As smog levels in Punjab reach hazardous levels this week, the LHC on Tuesday proposed a complete shutdown of commercial activity on Sundays and ordered strict enforcement of existing closure timings for markets and restaurants.

While hearing multiple petitions on environmental degradation, Justice Shahid Karim expressed alarm over worsening air quality and lax enforcement of pollution controls. DC Raza appeared before the bench to respond to the court's inquiries.

The judge reminded city officials that a 2023 notification mandates the closure of markets by 10 pm and restaurants by 11 pm. "Violations continue despite your own notification," Justice Karim remarked, directing authorities to ensure full compliance.

The court also suggested imposing a one-month Sunday ban on all commercial operations to curb emissions, saying such a measure might need to last "one or two months, or even four weeks."

Wedding halls, the judge added, must close by 10 pm, noting that "even though wedding meal violations persist, that issue is not related to the environment".

Justice Karim further instructed the administration to prevent any traffic blockages in the city, ordering the deputy commissioner to submit a detailed compliance report.

The bench voiced concern over prolonged construction by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), criticising delays that have left the city blanketed in dust.

"WASA's projects start but never seem to end," the judge said. "You have left large pipes lying along roads for six months, causing accidents. How can smog guns work amid such dust?"

Meanwhile, Punjab remains engulfed in thick smog, with Lahore once again topping the global pollution index. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 8-hour report, the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 247, though independent monitors recorded spikes as high as 372.

Areas such as Raiwind (587), Gulberg (581), Lower Mall (552), and DHA (478) reported "hazardous" readings. Across the province, Hafizabad registered an AQI of 291, Faisalabad 283, Sheikhupura 272, Lahore 247, and Kasur 232 - all in the "unhealthy" range.

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday also approved a resolution seeking measures to reduce smog and control the spread of seasonal diseases across the province.

The resolution was moved by treasury lawmaker Fatima Begum.

According to the resolution, current weather conditions combined with rising levels of smog have severely affected public health. To counter these effects, the resolution proposed that markets should be closed by 8pm, while wedding halls should not remain open beyond 10pm.

The resolution argued that limiting business hours would not only help reduce air pollution, but also safeguard citizens from health issues aggravated by increased outdoor activity late at night.

It noted that late-night business operations lead to unnecessary crowding and disorder, which contributes to the rapid spread of viral and respiratory illnesses.