In a bid to avert the menace dubbed – air pollution – in the country’s second-largest city Lahore, the provincial government has proposed to ban vehicles older than 30 years.
The proposal was taken up in an Environment Protection Council meeting held under the chairmanship of Environment Protection Minister Raja Basharat. In the meeting, the council pledged to make Punjab’s environment protection policy compatible with international standards.
It was also among the recommendations to ban cars older than 30 years from October to December next year in Lahore. During the meeting, car-free zones and days in Lahore were also under consideration. Meanwhile, it was also suggested to plant trees with big leaves.
On this occasion, Raja Basharat stated though the smog is less this year compared to the corresponding period of last year, the calamity may increase in the coming years.
It is pertinent to mention that Lahore falls among the top polluted cities in the world. As per IQAir, the global environmental think-tank, the air quality of the city was over 350.
In recent years, the smog started to surface as a catastrophe posing a serious threat to the health of the city’s residents. On the other hand, health experts have urged people to take precautionary measures to avoid environmental disasters.
Earlier, Lahore High Court has also expressed serious concerns over aggravating health threats and the provincial administration’s failure to nip the prevailing crisis in the bud. Justice Shahid stated that the situation is worsening day by day, and if the issue persists, the school will have to be closed for at least three days.
What do you think about the ban on old cars? Do you think that the step will help the government to root out the peril? Tell us in the comment section.
