LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the administration to impose an emergency in the provincial capital as smog situation continues to worsen, posing health risks to citizens, especially children.
The incumbent Punjab government is responsible for the deteriorated environment situation in Lahore, LHC’s Justice Shahid Karim remarked while haring a set of pleas filed by citizens seeking measures to control the smog.
During today’s hearing, Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhwa and other officers appeared before the high court when Justice Karim directed them not to de-seal factories that are responsible for black smoke.
He also directed school and college students to inform the authorities concerned of such factories. The judge ordered the commissioner and other officers to run an awareness campaign in this regard.
Justice Karim observed that the smog in previous years started affecting the city in late November or early December but this year it had hit the city in October.
Later, the judge adjourned the hearing till Nov 3.
Lahore was declared the world’s most polluted cities in previous three consecutive days, causing serious health problems in the city. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 255 for today (Wednesday).
