Air Monitoring Stations Set Up To Provide Smog Data: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday presiding over a meeting at his office reviewed progress on steps taken to overcome smog.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Oct, 2018 ) :Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday presiding over a meeting at his office reviewed progress on steps taken to overcome smog.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said the Punjab government was taking every possible measure to overcome smog and air monitoring stations were being set up to provide relevant data.

He said that air monitoring stations had been set up in Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan while a special air monitoring station had also been set up across BRB canal to monitor the ash coming through air from across the border due to burning of crops residue there. A special mobile lab would start working from October 18 to monitor the air, he added.

He said that ban had been imposed on burning of polythene bags, tyres, rubber and crops residue across the province and Section 144 had also been imposed.

He directed that indiscriminate action should be initiated on violation of Section 144 and rice chopper should be used to dispose of the residue of rice crop.

The meeting decided to constitute a committee under the chair of Federal Advisor Amin Aslam to review matters pertaining to brick-kiln. This committee will present its recommendations about transferring brick-kilns to new technology.

The Chief Minister directed that steps should be taken to stable the prices of bricks and brick-kiln owners should be motivated about the use of zigzag technology.

Action should also be continued against smoke emitting vehicles, he added.

He said the Health department should arrange public awareness activities while Information department should launch a special campaign through print and electronic media for public awareness.

The brick-kiln owners association assured the Punjab government about its cooperation.

The Chief Minister was told in the briefing that 53 brick-kilns had been closed for using wrong fuel and construction of new brick-kilns on the pattern of old design had also been stopped. As many as 50 cases had been registered against people involved in burning of crops residue and 200 industrial units had also been sealed for spreading environmental pollution.

Prime Minister's Advisor on climate change Malik Amin Aslam, Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Langarial, ACS, Addl. IG (Est), secretaries, high officials and president brick-kiln Owners Association attended the meeting.