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Nearly 200 Heavy Smoke Emitting Vehicles Seized in 1 Week in Multan

The Government of Punjab is taking rigorous measures to control emissions and reduce smog in the region, and the authorities have confiscated 194 heavy smoke emitting vehicles in the Multan division accordingly.

The spokesperson for the divisional administration apprised the media about the drive to curb air pollution and stated that over 250 vehicles were inspected in Multan last week.

Secretary of the Regional Transport Authorities, city traffic police, and the Environment Department have initiated a joint operation against smoke-emitting vehicles in Vehari, Multan, Khanewal, and Lodharan. According to the details, the law enforcers have filed cases against six vehicle owners for pollution-related offenses and collected Rs. 327,000 worth of fines from the culprits.

The spokesperson added that the drive is expected to continue.

Recent Efforts

The Punjab Transport Company’s (PTC) Enforcement Wing caught 9,747 public transport vehicles a few months ago for violation of the environment protection rules. Of these, 2,005 were impounded, and 1,938 were given stern warnings.

Meanwhile, the authorities have placed a strict ban on the following:

  • Burning crop residue.
  • Heavy smoke-emitting vehicles.
  • Industrial operations that ignore emissions control.
  • Stone crushers operating without wet scrubbers.
  • Burning of solid waste, rubber, and/or plastic.
  • Sub-standard fuel sales and use.
  • Uncovered dumping/storage of construction material.
  • Uncovered transportation of construction material.
  • Operations of brick kilns that are not built on or converted to modern/zigzag technology.
  • Unauthorized activities that contribute to smog.

The government has also mandated the distribution of EURO-5 fuel in the region to contain air pollution. However, the positive impact of these steps remains to be seen.

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Published by
Waleed Shah