Punjab government has kicked off green lockdown in Lahore’s Shimla Pahari (Hill) and surrounding areas to address severe smog levels as part of the Punjab chief minister’s Multi-Sectoral Plan aimed at reducing air pollution in metropolis.
Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb unveiled the Multi-Sectoral Plan a day before for the people of Lahore.
The concerned department team sprayed water mixed with disinfectants sprayed in smog-affected areas including Abbott Road, Golestan Chowk, Haji Camp, and Empress Road.
Additionally, a hotline, 1373, has been established for citizens to report high pollution levels, enabling prompt response.
The campaign also includes clearing encroachments, with authorities planting 200 sapling and plants while demolishing temporary structures on Haji Camp and Empress Road.
Traffic congestion issues are being tackled through road repairs and the deployment of special surveillance teams.
Other measures implemented under the green lockdown include urging residents to adopt carpooling, relocating parking spaces outside congested areas, and monitoring emissions from power generators in government offices.
In response to fire hazards, squads recently extinguished a large garbage fire in the city with three fire engines.
Last night, open barbecue points within the Shimla Hill green ring were closed as part of an operation to limit pollution sources, with teams conducting overnight surveillance to ensure compliance.