LAHORE: As the Punjab Assembly continued the debate on smog and water scarcity issues in the province for the third day here on Friday, members from treasury as well opposition suggested curbs on industrial and vehicular emissions, besides strict implementation of laws to check environmental pollution.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan assured the members that their suggestions would be shared with the agriculture, irrigation and other relevant departments.

Questioning the prolonged delay in the launch of the vehicle fitness mechanism in Punjab, PMLN’s Uzma Kardar lamented that the province did have laws but these were not being implemented. She suggested that the smog issue should be made a part of school syllabus.

PTI MPA Rana Aftab alleged that the environment department officials received bribe from the pollution causing factories for not taking action against them. He regretted that subsoil water got polluted and vegetables were being irrigated with polluted water, harming people’s health.

PMLN’s Rana Munawwar Ghaus called for judicious use of canal water and promoting kitchen gardening. He said had the departments concerned been working efficiently to check the vehicular and industrial emissions, demolition of kilns could have been averted.

PTI’s Mushtaq Ahmed called for increasing water storage capacity through small and medium dams and demanded setting up a committee on water scarcity in the province.

Treasury’s Zakia Shahnawaz suggested providing super seeders in all tehsils to check burning of crop residues.

Opposition MPA Dr Faisal Jameel stressed tree plantation along motorways and preferring railways as a means of transport to control vehicular pollution. He also advocated for conserving rainwater to improve quality and quantity of subsoil water.

MPA Amjad Ali Javed regretted that the last government destroyed the public transport system in Lahore, giving a free hand to motorcycle-rickshaws, contributing to air and noise pollution.

Hassan Buttar called for promoting trees with big leaves like pipal to help filter more air and encouraging growing plants on rooftops to increase green cover in the city.

Treasury member Rana Saleem suggested crop zoning as per water availability and banning cultivation of water-guzzling crops in areas facing water shortage.

He also opposed use of potable water for fisheries and introducing corn flour for two days in a week in case of wheat shortage.

PTI’s Ahsan Raza alleged that tyres were still being burnt by Daroghawala industries and advocated for use of e-vehicles to check pollution in the Punjab’s capital. He proposed harvesting of rainwater at each building, whether residential or commercial.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2024