LAHORE: Residents of various housing schemes situated along Barki and Ashiana roads are facing serious environmental and health issues due to dumping and burning of solid waste at an open area/chunk of land.

The situation is worsening as no one from the city district administration and environment department is ready to take action against those dumping and burning the waste frequently, leaving the people with no option but to breathe in a hazardous polluted environment.

“It seems that we are living at a dumping site where tonnes of solid waste is brought and burnt without any check on a daily basis. We also complained to the authorities concerned, but to no avail,” deplores a resident of Paragon City.

“I can say the jungle life is better than what we have been leading for the last couple of months,” he continued while lashing out at the government.

DC says the area doesn’t fall in dist govt’s jurisdiction, would take action on a written complaint

As the burning of solid waste in Punjab capital is a major contributor to severe smog and poor air quality, the Lahore High Court (LHC), in a bid to combat this environmental crisis, has consistently intervened, ordering strict crackdowns on illegal dumping, crop burning and municipal waste combustion that are creating environmental hazards.

In November, the court had also expressed its displeasure at the city administration’s lack of action to counter smog and pollution, questioning the use of anti-smog guns and tree cutting in the metropolis.

The court took action after Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world in terms of air quality according to global monitor IQAir. In the same month and later on, the city, off and on, continued leading the world in terms of hazardous air quality.

“Last week, they (perhaps the workers of the waste/sanitation management section of the respective Cantonment Board) set huge heaps of waste on fire that spread quickly on the back (abutting Ashiana Road) of our boundary wall.

The residents came out of their houses with coughing complaints. The elderly suffered serious respiratory issues too,” explains another resident of Paragon City.

“This also poisoned the air quality in our society and the neighboring housing schemes and localities. The residents in the social media groups also protested. Some of them criticised the authorities concerned for not taking action,” he maintains.

According to another resident, the officials didn’t stop and continued dumping waste and setting it on fire.

“No authority is ready to resolve this environmental issue in the area,” he deplores, demanding the government immediately order the authorities concerned to stop this practice.

Talking to Dawn, a spokesperson for the city district administration, says, “An FIR was also lodged against the officials involved in illegal dumping and burning”.

A spokesperson for the Suthra Punjab Agency Lahore (SPAL), formerly the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), also confirmed the development, stating that the FIR was lodged by the SPAL enforcement inspector.

“In fact, this area doesn’t fall in our territorial jurisdiction as it is dealt with by the respective Cantonment Board.”

Talking to Dawn, Lahore Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Muhammad Ali Ijaz said the area doesn’t fall under his jurisdiction.

“It is the function of the solid waste management wing of the Cantt Board and not of us. But despite all this, we may take up this issue with the respective authorities if someone (complainant) approaches us in writing,” he argues.

PHA: The Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) has ordered horticulture agencies under its jurisdiction to implement mandatory accessibility features, enabling people with disabilities to access its offices, according to PHA Director General Raja Mansoor Ahmad.

Approved by the provincial architect department, according to him, the facilities include designated car parking and dedicated wheelchair routes. Parking bays will display the International Symbol of Access (ISA), indicating that an area, facility or route is accessible to people with disabilities or limited mobility.

Buildings will also feature alighting spaces: level, obstruction-free areas allowing people with disabilities, mobility aids or sensory sensitivities to safely enter and exit vehicles. An accessible path will connect parking and alighting spaces to each building’s main entrance.

Every office will have at least one wheelchair-accessible entrance, which must be easy to locate, have a smooth floor surface and be well-lit. Reception areas and lobbies must be easy to find from the entrance and must contrast in colour with background walls and floors, in line with international practice.

According to Mr Ahmad, the initiative reflected the PHA’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity and equal access to public facilities. “We want all visitors, including differently abled persons, to access PHA offices with dignity, ease and independence,” he said, adding that accessibility should not be treated as an optional feature but as a basic requirement in public service delivery.

He said district horticulture agencies had been directed to implement the prescribed amenities in accordance with approved standards and assess existing infrastructure gaps to ensure compliance.

FESTIVAL: The three-day Lahore Shopping Festival organised by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry concluded here on Sunday. On the closing day as well, the Lahore Expo Centre remained a hub of business, commercial and entertainment activities, attracting a large number of citizens, business personalities, families and foreign delegations.

During the festival, LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol and others visited various stalls and distributed honorary shields among the exhibitors.

During the three-day expo, Turkish Consul General Mehmet Eymen Simsek, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka Yaseen Joyia, and a 20-member Chinese trade and tourism delegation visited the festival and showed keen interest in different stalls.

More than 150 stalls featured renowned brands, garments, household products, lifestyle items, food, handicrafts and companies from various industrial and commercial sectors showcasing their products and services.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2026