LAHORE – National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) has enforced strict ban over-harvesting, crop residual burning and thresher machines creating thick clouds of smoke that reduce visibility on the motorway.
Talking to APP, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sector Commander M-2 (North) NHMP, Syed Hashmat Kamal said the lurking ominous Smog pollution has proved to be fatal and hazardous and since its a fog season thresher machines running across motorway routes for harvesting and crop residual burning are explicit source of pollution jeopardizing commuters’ lives. NHMP, therefore, has been taking strict measures to mitigate smog risk and accidents caused due to heavy smoke on the motorway in the result of these activities by local farmers, he added.
“NHMP has reformed its travel advisory through online web portals and social media pages including www.nhmp.gov.pk/TravelAdvisory.html, @motorwaypolice1 on Twitter and @nhmpofficial on Facebook,” he informed.
He went on saying that NHMP helpline 130 could also be accessed for queries and assistance and in case of busy lines or no access the citizen must dial the number with area code and may also stop patrolling teams moving in every 9 kilometers of the motorway. “Our radio channel FM 95 remains on the air for 24/7 to keep commuters updated with the weather and road situation and hence, stay tuned to the radio channel while using motorway,” he remarked.
To a question, he said in case of fire flared up across the motorway then NHMP with the help of Frontier Works Organization (FWO)’s water bowsers to extinguish the fire. However, our patrolling vehicles do possess fire extinguishers but they are not effective in such erupting fire, he added.
SSP Hashmat remarked that NHMP keeps its efforts and initiatives on the ground during fog season for in time awareness of the masses where only 18,000 pamphlets bearing fog advisory and safety guidelines have been distributed at various toll plazas and service areas by NHMP Sector M-2 North.
To another query, he said that during dense fog prevalence NHMP helps citizens to move their cars following Rolling Closure method. “In Rolling Closure three NHMP mobiles lead the contingent of cars from the front and three at the back while the cars move in between the police cars ply at an optimum pace that makes possible to carry out the safe journey in unavoidable dense fog,” he said.
He advised the citizens to avoid unnecessary journey during fog days, keep on special fog lights (yellow at front and red at the back), reduce speed and keep maximum safe distance with the cars at front, do not apply sudden brakes and intermittently apply horn and also do not follow the front moving cars rather take guidance from the road lines.
“The motorbike riders should not only wear helmet rather put on glass visors as it helps in avoiding accidents but also reduces Smog risk,” he maintained.
