The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday 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.
Last Wednesday, Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world in terms of air quality, according to global monitor IQAir. As of today, it still leads the world in terms of poor air quality, registering an air quality index (AQI) reading of 259, which the monitor considers very unhealthy.
The Punjab government has tried numerous methods to reduce the smog, including limiting citizens’ time moving in the city, fining industrial units and brick kilns causing pollution and using ‘anti-smog guns’ to fire tiny droplets of water into the air, cleaning dust and other particulates.
According to a Dawn correspondent present during the hearing, LHC Justice Shahid Karim summoned the Director General of the Punjab Environment Protection Department, Hamid Sheikh, and questioned why trees are being cut down, despite a court order prohibiting it.
Justice Karim also heard petitions on poor air quality. A lawyer representing the Lahore Parks and Horticultural Authority (PHA) noted that a case has been registered since a banyan tree was felled within the limits of the Cantonment board.
“It is not possible to reverse the damage caused by tree cutting, nor is there anyone to stop it,” the petitioner’s counsel argued.
The government’s lawyer argued that winds from India had caused air quality to plummet, to which the petitioner’s lawyer rebutted that there is no evidence to back up the claim.
Afterward, the court heard the case on smog remediation and Justice Karim expressed concern over increasing pollution and displeasure over the failure to enforce new working hours for restaurants, also questioning the use of anti-smog guns.
Additionally, the court summoned Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza on November 4, also ordering action against smoke-emitting vehicles and hinting at holding a smog remediation hearing on a daily basis.
“These court proceedings are not against any one person, but aim to guide and assist the government,” the judge stated. “This court has been working on smog remediation for the past seven years. Had you read the previous orders, you would know what work we are doing here.
“Instead of blaming others, we need to resolve the situation ourselves,” he added.