The Punjab government on Thursday declared the smog a disaster after the provincial administration announced a series of measures, such as holidays for disabled children and the ban on all activities "that cause or lead to the formation of smog ” to improve hazardous air quality across the province. . , especially in Lahore.
A day earlier, the provincial government had imposed a green blockade in several areas of Lahore that it considered "smog hotspots", but the application was left at best on the first day. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has now declared smog as a disaster under Section 3 of the Punjab National Disaster (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958.
This law allows the government to "ensure the maintenance and restoration of order in areas affected by certain disasters and the prevention, control and relief of these disasters."
On Tuesday, residents of Lahore faced dangerous air quality, with the AQI index reaching 609, making it the most polluted city in the world. A notification from the Punjab government on Wednesday said that all “educational institutions including private schools (public/private) up to the higher secondary level (12th/A level) will remain closed and will be shifted to online mode”.
The districts affected by the notification are Lahore, Sheikhpura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari and Khanewal.
The notification stressed that the government is “trying to control all possible internal factors that cause air pollution and worsen the ambient air quality”.
General public advised to wear face masks
Also on Wednesday, the Punjab government issued an advisory to the public to wear face masks in public open spaces in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan divisions till January 31, 2025.
The notice noted that “the recent increase in respiratory diseases due to smoke, dust, etc. poses a serious and immediate threat to public health.”
“It is imperative to take all possible safety measures to prevent morbidity and diseases caused by deteriorating air quality,” the notice said.
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