RAWALPINDI: The city traffic police have formed special squads to launch crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles to avoid smog in winter.

A spokesperson for the city traffic police said the teams would conduct extensive operations against smoke-emitting vehicles as they had been deployed at the entrance and exit points of the city.

The chief traffic officer said that vehicles emitting smoke would not be allowed to enter the city under any circumstances and all such vehicles would be fined Rs2,000 each.

Strict action will also be taken against uncovered dumpers, trolleys and other loader vehicles spreading dirt in the environment.

According to a report, 83pc of smog is caused by vehicles that emit smoke, which pollutes the environment and causes accidents, the spokesman said.

The administrations of six districts of Rawalpindi Division and Regional Transport Authority have been asked to keep a check on brick kilns, smoke-emitting vehicles and burning crop residues to avoid chances of smog in coming days.

Reviewing the performance of the government department to avoid smog in six districts of Rawalpindi Division, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha said that the risk of smog remains till the end of November, so all necessary measures should be taken to prevent it.

“The main cause of smog is smog-emitting vehicles, brick kilns and burning of crop residues. In this regard, action should be taken against all vehicles emitting smoke,” he said.

He said that there were two centers of Vehicles Inspection and certification system (VICs) are active in district Rawalpindi while one each in Attock and Chakwal.

The commissioner directed the Deputy Commissioner Jhehlum to establish a VICs center in his district immediately so that it can be made necessary for all vehicles to get their fitness certificate from VICs before coming on the road.

Besides, he said that the environment department should also monitor the brick kilns and ensure their transition to zigzag technology.

Mr. Chatha said that a certificate should be taken from every landowner that they will never burn their crop residue.

The meeting was informed that since August 1, 2023, 1,363 vehicles have been checked by RTA and City Traffic Police, 814 challans were issued and 86 vehicles impounded while a total fine of more than Rs700,000 was imposed on violators.The commissioner directed that impounded vehicles should not be released without obtaining a fitness certificate from VICs.

It was briefed by the environment department that there are a total of 126 brick kilns in Rawalpindi.

While their inspections, 64 notices, 30 FIRs, 34 seals and a fine of Rs1.6 million imposed during 244 raids.

Similarly, during the checking of stone crushers, 11 notices were issued, two seals and a fine of Rs400,000 lakhs were imposed.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023