LAHORE – Due to the increasing smog in the provincial capital, the Punjab government is considering closing all private and public schools as well as businesses in the city on Wednesdays.
Reports in the local media suggest the Punjab government was considering imposing restrictions similar to those imposed during the Covid pandemic to control smog in Lahore.
The government is likely to announce a total shutdown on Wednesdays, with all businesses closed, including markets, factories and schools.
The government departments will work with half strength on Wednesdays under the new suggested strategy, while snap-checking should be done on Saturday and Sundays.
It has also been proposed to impose heavy fines on factories that violate the directives.
The city’s traffic patterns are the primary cause of smog, with factory emissions only accounting for 7% of Lahore’s overall pollution.
To combat smog in the Lahore Division, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated that the government will declare a work-from-home policy for two months.
The decision to keep markets closed on Wednesdays was supported by traders in Lahore, he added, adding that they can choose to open markets on Sundays.
Punjab mulls work from home, covid-like lockdown in Lahore to control smog
