Lahore, Oct 31 (PTI) Pakistan’s Punjab province on Thursday ordered the closure of all special education schools in Lahore for three months in the wake of worsening smog in the city of over 13 million prompting the government to declare ‘smog calamity’.
The Punjab province has also directed all public and private sector schools to send students with “conditions/diseases susceptible to poor air on a three-month leave.” The special education schools in Lahore will, however, conduct online classes.
Smog – the moniker for the combination of smoke and fog – is a specific phenomenon that occurs when certain polluting microparticles mix with cold, moist air and hang close to the ground, reducing visibility and causing health issues.
With the provincial government declaring ‘smog calamity’, the deputy commissioners have been delegated powers of relief commissioners to take all necessary measures to mitigate smog, a government notification said.
Punjab senior provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said: “Special children and children suffering from various ailments have been advised to stay home and all special education institutions have been instructed to implement online classes for three months.” According to meteorologists, the altered wind direction and speed have placed Lahore fourth on the global air pollution index, with Delhi, Beijing and Kinshasa occupying the first three spots.
Meteorology plays an important role in determining the level of air pollution in north Pakistan, just as it is a major factor in the neighbouring region of northwest India.
After the rainy season crops are harvested, farmers from both sides tend to burn stubble adding to the existing causes of pollution caused due to industrial emissions and transport.
The development comes a day after Punjab’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday called for united efforts with the Punjab province of India against what she described as the common enemy ‘smog,’ saying it is “not a political but a humanitarian issue.” The provincial government also imposed a ‘Green Lockdown’ in different parts of Lahore for the first time to mitigate the impact of rising smog.
Last week, her government said it planned artificial rains to mitigate the impact of the smog after Lahore faced an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) of 394. However, there has been no announcement of any date. PTI MZ NPK NPK
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