Rawalpindi’s Air Quality in Danger: Commissioner Calls for Action

Rawalpindi : Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Engineer Aamir Khattak said that smog has approached Rawalpindi now after Lahore and other divisions. Due to the winds coming from India, the intensity of smog has increased in different cities of Punjab. Punjab government is spending a huge sum of 10 billion rupees to provide modern facilities including smog prevention, artificial rains, smog towers. Apart from this, the anti-smog committee formed by the Divisional administration under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner is cracking down on smog-emitting vehicles, burning of garbage and crop residues, and brick kilns operating without zig-zag technology. Apart from this, the health department has also issued a health advisory for the public, in which the people are requested not to step out of their homes unnecessarily. If it is necessary to go out, be sure to use a mask because smog affects children, adults and the elderly severely and causes eye problems, respiratory and lung diseases. He directed health department to establish Snog awareness counters in hospitals and ensure the availability of all required medicines.
He expressed these views while presiding over the meeting organized to review the anti-smog operations in Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi. In the meeting, Additional Commissioner Coordination Syed Nazarat Ali, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi, Secretary RTA, Chief Traffic Officer. , Deputy Director Environment, CEO Health and other concerned officers participated.
On this occasion, the anti-smog committee, which includes Secretary RTA, Deputy Director Environment and Traffic Police representatives, gave a detailed briefing on the measures taken by them to prevent smog. It was stated in the briefing that the environment department has demolished 24 smog-causing brick kilns and a fine of 81 lac has been imposed since July 2024 up-till now. Likewise, 02 industrial units were sealed on violation and a fine of 09 lac was imposed. Similarly, Secretary RTA and the Traffic Police, while taking action against vehicles causing pollution by emitting smoke, issued 2711 challan, 441 vehicles were impounded while a fine of 5.5 lac was imposed.