LAHORE: The Punjab government has made a decision to put into action revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aimed at controlling emissions from outdoor cooking stations and barbecue grills, as the average Air Quality Index in Lahore has exceeded hazardous levels.
On Wednesday, Lahore recorded an average AQI of 596. An AQI reading between 400 and 500 is classified as hazardous.
According to details, notice issued by Punjab Environmental Protection (EPA) Director General Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, these SOPs will take effect in the Lahore district from November 20, 2024, until January 31, 2025.
The Health Advisory System for Critical Air Pollution Events (HAS-CAPES), established on December 13, 2022, held its first meeting of the Provincial CAPEs Committee (PCC) on October 21, 2024, which confirmed that a Critical Air Pollution Event has occurred in Lahore, given the current elevated levels of the Air Quality Index (AQI).
“Outdoor cooking stations and barbecue grills that utilize coal, wood, or charcoal for heating must be fitted with a hood that has an adequate exhaust fan designed to capture and expel smoke, fumes, and airborne particles in compliance with the Punjab Environment Quality Standards (PEQS),” the notice states.
Smog: A Practical Guide for Lahore residents 2024
The hood must be equipped with filters intended to prevent the release of grease-laden particles and smoke into the air. If the use of filters alone does not suffice to meet the PEQS, an additional wet scrubber or wet showering system must be installed.
“I, Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, PAS, Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency, Punjab, in exercising the powers granted to me under Section 6(1)(t) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act of 1997, hereby order that no restaurant, hotel, or shop that has set up its cooking station or barbecue grill outdoors and uses coal, wood, or charcoal as a heating source may operate such stations or grills unless the SOPs are fully implemented,” the notice states.
