M RAFIQUE GORAYA
LAHORE: At least 10 people killed and about 40 others were injured in various smog-related road accidents in Punjab on Friday as thick fog/smog-misty conditions continued over plain areas of Punjab (especially over Faisalabad, Sargodha, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur divisions) during night and morning hours.
Five people were killed and 10 others injured, when a bus collided with a van on Gujranwala Road near Sheikhupura due to foggy conditions on Friday morning. Rescue 1122 personnel shifted the injured to hospitals in Sheikhupura and Gujranwala.
Four people including four children and a British national woman was killed and another 18 people were injured in separate traffic accidents, three of which were smog-related in five Punjab cities including provincial capital Lahore and in Faisalabad, Jhelum, Jahanian and Kasur.
Three school-going children killed and another 21 were injured in two separate fog-related accidents in Faisalabad, Jahanian and Kasur. In another fog-related accident 12 people were seriously injured when a passenger bus crashed on Sargodha Road in Faisalabad while trying to save a motorcyclist. Rescue workers shifted the injured people to Allied Hospital.
On Jhang Road, seven vehicles bumped into each other on a single spot as thick layers of smog blanketed the air lowering visibility. The accident left five people injured, who were taken to the hospital, according to rescue sources.
As smog persisted across the province, low levels of visibility were recorded in many cities in the morning. According to the meteorological department, minimum visibility was recorded at 400 metres in Faisalabad, while in Lahore it was 300 metres, and in Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh it was 20 metres.
The motorway police have issued instructions to drivers to reduce speed and switch on fog lights to avoid any untoward incident. It has advised people to avoid travelling in the morning and when visibility becomes very poor.
Talking to Business Recorder, Chief Meteorologist Mohammad Riaz said smoggy conditions would continue at least for another week as pollution could only be washed away by rain or strong winds. He attributed the lack of rain, pollution, and smoke from vehicles, factories and burnt crops to the worsening smog situation in the cities.
Meanwhile, Punjab Environment Protection department is taking strict measures to control smog and minimize its adverse effects. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Minister Environment Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said EPD and all concerned departments of the Government were taking strict actions against polluters to control smog.
As many as 197 FIRs have been filed against violators of Section 144 and 65 persons have been arrested due to stubble burning and solid waste burning. 175 pollution causing units have been stopped, 15,718 smoke-emitting vehicles have been challaned, and Rs 4.3 million fine has been imposed.
She requested all Chambers of Commerce & Industry to fully cooperate with the EPD and to issue instructions to all industrialists to immediately stop use of substandard fuel and for installation of pollution abatement equipment.
Secretary Environment, Punjab Capt Saif Anjum (Retd) said that instructions had been issued to all field formations of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Punjab and all other concerned departments for taking effective measures to control air pollution and smog in the province as per their role specified in the Smog Policy.
Saif Anjum requested Home Department and Deputy Commissioners to implement ban on stubble burning under Section 144 in the next two months. EPA officers have been directed to take immediate action under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 against all such industries and brick kilns using substandard fuel and running their units without emission control devices like wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators and fly ash arrestors etc.
EPD Punjab is working for the introduction of such environment-friendly brick kiln technology with the collaboration of All Pakistan Brick Kiln Owners Association which is easily acceptable to brick kiln owners as about 10,300 brick kilns working in the province are the major contributors towards air pollution and played key role for smog formulation.
Rehman also said instructions had also been issued to traffic police and Transport Department for the control of traffic congestion and vehicular pollution. Local Government Department has been requested to improve solid waste management practices and imposition of complete ban on burning of solid waste.
