Punjab govt to gradually ban petrol-powered motorcycles

The Punjab government has decided to ban production of petrol motorcycle rickshaws in province, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

A special meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Combating Smog chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also decided in principle to gradually stop production of petrol-powered motorcycles.

The meeting decided that only electric and hybrid vehicles and electric motorcycles will be purchased for government institutions in Punjab.

The meeting also decided to impose a complete ban on washing vehicles with water at the level of houses. 

The meeting also decided to install coloured dustbins all over Punjab like in the modern world.

The meeting proposed strict punishment should be given for burning plastic and toxic smoke-producing items. 

No concession should be made for harming the health of citizens and the environment, the meeting decided.

The meeting gave approval to set up various workshops under public-private partnership for regular testing of vehicles emitting smoke exceeding the prescribed standards.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb gave a detailed briefing on measures to combat smog and improve air quality.

Punjab's first state-of-the-art air quality monitoring network has been established, Marriyum Aurangzeb briefed the meeting.

She briefed that timely detection of smog and air quality has now been made possible through the AQI forecast system. 

The use of smog guns has significantly reduced environmental pollution in local areas, Senior Minister briefed. 

She briefed that a comprehensive operation to eliminate pollution is underway in various areas as a result incidents of crop burning in Lahore and its suburbs reduced by 88 percent.

Drone monitoring is being carried out to prevent crop burning incidents, she added. 

Marriyum Aurangzeb briefed that crop burning incidents have significantly reduced due to timely detection through satellite tracking surveillance. 

'Quick Response Center' and 'Force' for immediate action on crop burning incidents established, she briefed. 

Senior Minister briefed that the country's first 'Eco Chatbot' has been established and the mobile application and public dashboard have also been fully activated. 

Marriyum Aurangzeb briefed that about 41 air quality monitors are working in 18 districts and next year's deadline has been set for installing 100 more air quality monitoring sensors for all districts.

Punjab's first emission testing system has completed testing 300,000 vehicles, she added. 

She said a smog war room has been established in the Punjab Safe City Authority for continuous environment monitoring.

With the help of 8500 CCTV cameras, digital monitoring of industry, car wash stations and 'dust hotspots' is being done, she further briefed. 

She said more than 450 industrial units causing environmental pollution were demolished and a fine of Rs230 million was also imposed. 

CCTV cameras installed for industrial environment control and night monitoring system has been activated and eight special night squads are also active.

Night squad demolished more than 100 units causing environmental pollution, she told the meeting.

She said more than 2200 kilns were demolished while 2336 were sealed.

The biggest campaign in the history of Punjab was launched to eliminate plastic bags and 26,000 businessmen pledged not to use harmful plastic; she briefed the meeting.

Crackdown is underway against tire, battery burning and fat melting factories across the province, Senior Minister briefed.

Under the digital enforcement ecosystem, Green Punjab app and public can file complaints through 1373 helpline and Eco Watch app public can file complaints through. 

Senior Minister said a special awareness campaign is also underway in schools, colleges and universities to create awareness about environmental pollution. 

For the first time, the Punjab Green School Certification Program has been launched, she said in briefing. 

A fence of 2.1 million trees has been built in an area of ​​112 kilometers around Lahore and this series of tree plantation is going on rapidly.

She briefed that 200,000 trees have been planted on the Ring Road, 400,000 under the Lungs of Lahore and 15,000 trees have been planted in Hadiyara.

In addition to 30 parks, tree plantation has also been done around the 40-kilometer track of the railway and this series is going on. 

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the environmental improvement measures and congratulates the entire team.

Chief Minister Punjab encouraged the campaign against complete ban on child labour in kilns and congratulated all institutions and the entire team.

Chief Minister interacted with children across Punjab and directed to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on labour.

Reporter: Rao Dilshad