- Marriyum says colleges and universities will shift to online classes due to the Smog Crisis.
- Minister reveals new business time for restaurants in two cities.
- Punjab facing air pollution problems again due to the winter season.
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School Closures Extended
The diseases have emerged in Lahore and Multan in Punjab which are the most affected regions for smog. Ministries and other agencies are currently undertaking efforts to abate cases of air pollution and its concomitant health effects.
The provincial capital has remained at the top polluted city in the world in terms of air pollution, while Multan stood lowest in air quality among all cities in Pakistan, as per the Swiss group IQ Air.
The Minister for Education, Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on Friday that school had been closed down especially in the areas that suffer high levels of smog.
“The schools will be closed for another week because it is currently dangerous to breathe,” she said during a press briefing.
Speaking to the media, the minister noted that colleges and universities will be forced to adopt online lessons in order to prevent the students’ contraction of the virus.
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High Amid Smog Crisis
Pakistani city of Lahore with the population of 14 million people full of factories near the border with India often comes at the list of the most polluted cities of the world and this October broke all the records to force authorities do extraordinary efforts to fight with smog.
Punjab faces a worsening air quality crisis as Lahore’s AQI declined from 732 in the morning to 669 by 1 PM, reveals Swiss air quality analytics firm IQAir.
Smog Restrictions
That is why the kind of smog seen now has led to the closure of schools and transition to online classes, as well as the ban on almost all outdoor activities until November 17 in eight districts affected by toxic smog.
Besides this, restrictions in eating in restaurants, shops, markets, and shopping complex were ordered to be closed after 8 pm only.
Nevertheless, the prolonged existence of the thick smog has led to further closing of schools and declaration of a health emergency.
Marriyum also revealed new operating timings for the restaurants in Lahore and Multan that include the restaurants can remain open till 4:00 pm while the takeaway service was allowed up to 8:00 pm.
“Both city areas will observe a total lockdown on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to consider further smog situation,” the minister said and finally, the government will reconsider the data up to the Wednesday only.
She further said that the government is also observing a ban on construction activities in the two cities from next Saturday to next Sunday to avoid more pollution.
LHC urges long-term smog control policy
For its part, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has noted with concern a protracted adverse condition, smog and advised the government to come up with long-term strategy that should cover not less than the next a decade.
The hearing on the motions to address smog took place before Justice Shahid Karim of the Islamabad High Court, during which Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq appeared before the court.
In one instance, the court asked the Advocate General to approach Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and talk with her about a Sphere of Ten Years Smog Control Policy.
The advocate general said that there is a plan to prepare a budget for electric buses in Punjab and they will be on the road by June next year.
The court approved the government’s actions, suggesting to announce the prohibition of creating housing societies on the area of agricultural lands. It also called for sowing more drought resistant trees, as well as making water treatment facilities compulsory for 10-marla houses.
Finally, the control measures on smog have been ordered by the court to come up with implementation reports and the court has set another date to the next week.
Smog affects nearly 2 million
The air pollution that has led to the emergence of smog in the affected areas has had an impact of elevating the number of people who are infected with eye and throat infections and respiratory diseases.
More than 1.9 million people suffering from smog-related ailments went to the hospitals in October, the Punjab Health Department stated. The report expounded that people were mainly affected by respiratory illness, asthma, heart disease and stoke.
Out of these, in October only, there were 119,533 asthma cases and 13,773 cases of heart disease in Lahore. Further, there are 5,184 hospitalizations due to stroke in Punjab.
The department also said that the unhealthy air quality may result in other related health issues, should the situation not change soon.
People have been urged to stay indoors and refrain from opening doors and windows, besides wearing face masks.
Each winter several parts of South Asia are shrouded in a toxic haze created when cold air traps dust, emissions and smoke from farm fires.
Punjab has attributed the toxic air in the region this year to pollution from India Only northern parts of India have also been suffering from hazardous air, and Punjab plans to address the issue with the Indian foreign ministry.