Lahore schools not to be closed if smog situation worsens

LAHORE: A cabinet body formed to mitigate the effects of smog in the Punjab province especially in Lahore has decided against shutting down schools in case the smog situation gets deteriorated, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the details of the meeting, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht headed the meeting of the standing committee of the cabinet on smog where it was briefed on the current situation by senior member Board of Revenue Babar Hayat Tarar.

“Suggestions were presented before the meeting to shut down schools in case smog situation worsens,” they said adding that however, the committee decided against it.

Commissioner Lahore has been tasked to implement measures needed to mitigate the effect of air pollution.

An Anti-Smog Squad has been constituted to control the increasing threat of the air pollution in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.

As per details, the Anti-Smog Squad will be comprised of five teams and each team will consist of five members, which will visit the industries and will slap fines in case of any violation.

The teams will be headed by the officers of the environmental projection department, while the representatives from police, WASA, LESCO and Municipal Corporation will also be the members of the teams.