School, hospital buses face EPA checks

Crackdown comes as pollution-linked patient numbers continue to climb

The Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered an immediate crackdown on all smoke emitting transport vehicles used by schools, colleges, universities, and hospitals as the province struggles with an intense and prolonged spell of smog.

EPA Director General Imran Hamid Sheikh announced that the department has adopted a policy of zero tolerance toward vehicles contributing to hazardous air pollution levels, warning that violators will face on-the-spot confiscation of vehicles rather than fine.

The decision comes as Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, and other major cities remain blanketed under thick layers of toxic smog, with Air Quality Index (AQI) readings frequently crossing the hazardous threshold.

Medical experts report a surge in respiratory infections, asthma attacks, bronchitis, throat irritation, and eye allergies, particularly among schoolchildren and elderly patients.

Hospitals in Lahore have recorded thousands of pollution related cases over recent weeks, raising alarms across the health sector.

DG Imran said the EPA has declared Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS) clearance mandatory for all heavy vehicles operating in both public and private sectors. This includes buses used to transport students and hospital staff, as well as large vans, coasters and departmental transport. He issued a final warning to institutions, stressing that no outdated or poorly maintained bus would be allowed on the roads.

EPA teams have been directed to begin mass inspections of school and hospital transport fleets across Punjab.

District environment officers have been instructed to check smoke levels, engine health, fuel quality and mechanical safety.

The DG ordered the education and health institutions to immediately repair unfit vehicles and submit compliance reports without delay. According to EPA sources, inspection checkpoints have been set up at major entry points of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sheikhupura and Sialkot, where smoke emitting heavy vehicles will be stopped, examined, and seized if found in violation of environmental standards.

Any vehicle generating thick smoke, leaking oil, or operating on substandard fuel will be impounded under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997. Legal action, including heavy penalties and possible departmental proceedings, will follow.

An EPA spokesperson said school buses and vans in poor condition have been a longstanding public complaint, with many parents expressing concerns about children being transported in unsafe vehicles.

Lahore has consistently ranked among the most polluted cities in the world during winter, with visibility reduced, traffic slowed, and emergency health advisories repeatedly issued.

Environmental analysts note that vehicular emissions, especially from diesel-powered heavy transport are a major contributor to the dangerous rise in pollution levels.

Health facilities in Lahore, including Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, and Children's Hospital, have witnessed a spike in pollution related cases over the past month.

Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to hazardous air can harm lung development in children and aggravate chronic conditions among adults.