Markets should close at 8 p.m. as per Lahore High Court’s decision

The increasing pollution levels in Punjab have prompted the Lahore High Court to issue further directives in an effort to curb the problem.

As part of a hearing on citizen petitions to reduce pollution, Justice Shahid Karim ordered that all province markets close at 8 o’clock every evening and entirely close on Sundays.

Heavy trucks and cars that release smoke are a big cause of pollution in Lahore and the surrounding areas, the court said. Motorways and ring roads are off-limits to vehicles that release smoke as a result of the court’s ruling. A key source of air pollution and smog, it argued that the provincial government should limit the access of trucks and trawlers to the metropolis.

Dolphin Force and other police officers are to be deployed in order to efficiently manage and regulate high traffic, as ordered by the court.

When asked why smoke-emitting buses are still on the road after receiving notices and why vehicles without valid fitness certificates are still allowed to function, Justice Shahid Karim voiced his displeasure about the Transport Department’s lack of action.

At each and every hearing, the court requests that the government implement policies to reduce air pollution. Smoke from vehicles is the main source of air pollution. The judge raised the question of why the trucks and buses were still operating after receiving notifications. Following the court’s demand for stringent action, a fine of Rs50,000 was proposed for buses found to be in violation of pollution limits.

To help the government combat the smog crisis, the court has issued these directions, which Justice Shahid Karim emphasized to the transport agency. “If there is pressure from the government on DCs, they will work,” the judge pointed out.

To ensure compliance with court orders, he stressed that commissioners and deputy commissioners (DC) should physically oversee the situation during the night.

There was a lack of action to regulate the rush during weddings, the court noted, notwithstanding the implementation of the one-dish restriction.

In its ongoing review of smog-related petitions, the court has requested progress updates from numerous government agencies and will continue to hear arguments from Haroon Farooq and others.