Islamabad administration imposes restrictions to control smog

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) imposed restrictions to control smog and air pollution, closing all brick kilns and factories that emit smoke.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon held a meeting with Assistant Commissioners, the Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA), and the Excise Department, outlining strict steps to curb harmful emissions across the city.

According to the decisions taken in the meeting, factories that emit smoke will be temporarily shut down while all brick kilns will remain closed until further notice to help reduce smog levels. Meanwhile, the smoke-emitting vehicles will be banned from the roads in Islamabad Capital Territory.

Furthermore, the burning of garbage, leaves, or any other materials outdoors is prohibited and activities that harm the environment will face restrictions. On the other side, the Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA) has been conducting regular inspections to enforce these measures.

During a recent inspection led by the ITA Secretary, several vehicles at the vegetable market were checked for emissions.

In the inspection, nine vehicles were penalised for excessive smoke emissions, while warning letters were issued to 27 others. Daily operations are now in place to monitor vehicles across the city, ensuring adherence to emission standards.

DC Irfan Memon stated that these measures are being implemented as a preventive step to control the city’s air pollution levels before they escalate into severe smog conditions. The initiative aims to create a cleaner, healthier environment for residents.

Earlier, the Lahore district administration has banned outdoor activities to address the increasing threat of smog. According to a notification issued by the DC Lahore, outdoor activities will remain suspended starting from November 11 to 17.

All sports, exhibitions, and events are suspended, as is outdoor dining at restaurants; however, religious gatherings are exempt, the notification read. Furthermore, shops, markets, and malls will close by 8 PM, while medical stores, labs, petrol pumps, and grocery stores are exempt from the restrictions.

Large department stores are permitted to keep only grocery and medical sections open.

A spokesperson of the Punjab police stated that in the past 24 hours, 14 individuals were arrested, and 91 FIRs were filed.

Additionally, 458 individuals were fined a total of 8.28 lacs, and 33 others were cautioned for not adhering to the SOPs.

The spokesperson noted that there were 38 reports of crop residue burning and 359 incidents involving vehicles that emit smoke.

Furthermore, there were 3 instances of industrial activity violations, 27 violations related to brick kilns, and 24 other violations reported.

In total, 2161 individuals have been arrested for breaching government SOPs, with 2627 cases filed against them.