The government of Punjab has announced ban on the production of petrol-powered motorcycles and rickshaws in a latest bid to improve environment.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Smog Control was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, during which several important decisions were made to curb air pollution and ensure a cleaner environment across the province.
The meeting decided to ban the production of petrol-powered motorcycle rickshaws, while also approving, in principle, a phased discontinuation of petrol-powered motorcycles. It was further mandated that all government departments in the province will, from now on, purchase only electric or hybrid vehicles and electric motorcycles.
A complete ban has also been imposed on washing vehicles at home using water, and the government has decided to install color-coded waste bins across Punjab, in line with modern international standards.
The meeting resolved that strict action would be taken against any activity harmful to the environment. Instructions were issued for severe penalties against the burning of plastic or other materials that emit toxic smoke.
Approval was also granted to establish workshops under a public-private partnership to inspect vehicles that produce excessive smoke.
During the meeting, Senior Punjab Minister Maryam Aurangzeb briefed the committee on the measures taken to combat smog and improve air quality.
According to Maryam Aurangzeb, Punjab’s first state-of-the-art air quality monitoring network has been established, while the AQI forecast system now allows timely detection of smog and air quality conditions.
She added that the use of smog guns has reduced pollution at various locations, and a comprehensive operation to eliminate pollution is ongoing in different areas. Incidents of crop burning in Lahore and surrounding regions have decreased by 88%, and drone technology is being used to monitor and prevent such activities.
