Acting on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, authorities have intensified a province-wide anti-smog campaign, demolishing more than 100 illegal industrial units blamed for contributing to air pollution over the past 20 days. Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against environmental violations. She emphasized that pollution-causing units are not merely being sealed or shut down but are being completely demolished to prevent their operations from resuming.
Comprehensive Crackdown Across Punjab
A comprehensive crackdown is underway across Punjab at the district, tehsil, and union council levels. Officials have been instructed to take action without discrimination against all violators of environmental laws. Providing an update on the operation in Lahore, the senior minister said monitoring, surveys, and enforcement actions are being conducted at the union council level throughout the provincial capital. More than 200 union councils and housing societies in Lahore have already been surveyed as part of the campaign.
Joint Survey Teams and Drone Surveillance
According to Aurangzeb, joint survey teams comprising officials from the Environment Protection Department, union council secretaries, and managers of housing societies are carrying out inspections in residential and commercial areas to identify illegal industrial activities and sources of pollution. She noted that surveys conducted so far have not confirmed the presence of illegal fat-melting units in the areas inspected. To ensure transparency and accuracy, findings of ground inspection teams are also being verified through drone surveillance.
Appeal for Public Cooperation
Marriyum Aurangzeb appealed to citizens to cooperate with the government in its efforts to combat smog and environmental degradation. She urged residents to report activities contributing to air pollution through the provincial government’s helpline 1373. The senior minister said public participation is essential to the success of the anti-smog drive and called upon citizens to support the chief minister’s vision of cleaner air and a healthier environment across Punjab.
Broader Strategy to Curb Air Pollution
The Punjab government has launched the operation as part of a broader strategy to curb air pollution, which has become a recurring environmental and public health challenge in major cities, particularly Lahore, during the smog season. Officials say enforcement against illegal industrial units and other sources of pollution will continue across the province in the coming weeks.
