LAHORE: A meeting has been convened at Environment Protection Department (EPD) to evaluate the smog condition in Punjab as per the scientific data available. Smog Commission Chairman Dr Pervaiz Hassan chaired the meeting.
Environment Protection Department Secretary Zafar Nasarullah and Brick Kiln Owners Association President Shoaib Khan Niazi were also present in the meeting. The representatives from Local Government, Agriculture Department, Transport Department, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Metrological Department were also present in the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to analyze the steps taken to control the smog in Punjab as per the data provided by SUPARCO, EPD and Met department. The SUPARCO representative briefed the participants on the current situation of smog and told them that weather conditions are in our favour. He said due to wind direction the pollutants emitted from stubble burning are concentrated mainly to the eastern border of India, which gives respite to Pakistani area from smog like condition.
Metrological department has also briefed the participants that weather conditions will be favourable during next week and there may be some trouble in the first week of November. Upon this Chairman Smog Commission has decided to extend the date to ban brick kiln for one more week. He said that Punjab has been divided into three zones of green, yellow and red categories. Green zone will be the area where smoke emission will be minimum and there will be no ban on brick kiln on those areas. Yellow Zone will be the area which will be monitored due to moderate emission and will be analyzed for ban on brick kiln in case of abrupt weather changes. Red zones are the areas where emission is maximum and there will be a ban on old design brick kiln. The brick kiln which were converted to new Zig Zag technology will be exempt from this ban.
Chairman Smog Commission Dr Pervaiz also said that every step will be taken as per Supreme Court orders to avoid smog like condition in Punjab. He said that all decision are made in the light of scientific data received from satellite imagery and Met department.