Schools, colleges to close thrice a week

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Thursday that schools, colleges and all other educational institutes will remain closed in 10 districts of Punjab for an additional two days — Friday and Saturday — weekly due to the worsening smog situation. ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the chief minister said the decision would apply to Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha and Sahiwal divisions.

He also announced that air-purifying towers would be installed in Lahore, while 10,000 students would be given electric motorbikes on subsidy.

Artificial rain will be conducted if the clouds are closer to Lahore on November 29, the CM said, adding that markets will open at 3 pm on Friday and Saturday.

All kinds of markets will remain closed on Sunday, while restaurants will also open at 3pm, he added.

The announcement comes days after the Lahore High Court (LHC) Monday ordered the closure of all educational institutions in Punjab on Saturdays until the end of January to curb smog.

LHC judge Justice Shahid Karim issued a written order on petitions filed by citizens seeking measures to tackle air pollution in the country.

In a detailed order, the judge has directed the provincial government to issue a notification for closure of schools, colleges and universities on Saturdays till last week of January.

The order further said that the government was taking measures to ensure work from home for two days a week.