LAHORE:The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has issued advisory for reduction in smog in other areas including Lahore.
EPD Secretary Usman Ali Khan, in a statement, said on Saturday that transport plays the biggest role in the spread of smog. “It is better that citizens do not use transport unnecessarily on weekends. Even on normal days, the use of vehicles should be kept to a minimum,” he advised.
He said that with a little care, it was possible to provide clean environment for all. “We all have to think together to secure our future and generations to come,” he said.
The secretary said that the orders issued by the Lahore High Court to control smog were being followed in letter and spirit. “Administrative decisions had become easy due to the court orders,” he said.
The secretary said that all possible steps were being taken to make the department more active under the supervision of Provincial Minister for Environment Muhammad Basharat Raja. He appealed that the Air Quality Index prepared by the Environment Protection Department should be used in the media.” AQI parameters given on other websites are different and non-reliable”, he noted. He said that rains could remove risk of smog. “The campaign against air pollution cannot be effective without the cooperation of citizens”, he said.