Punjab CM orders complete ban on crop residue burning across province
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has told all deputy commissioners to enforce a 100 percent ban on burning crop residue. She gave the order at a review meeting in Lahore, citing rising smog.
- CM Maryam Nawaz directed all deputy commissioners to ensure a 100 percent ban on crop residue burning.
- She said rising smog is a serious problem and residue burning adds to air pollution.
- She criticised the Okara deputy commissioner over the issue in his district.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed all deputy commissioners in the province to ensure a complete ban on the burning of crop residue, according to 24 News and Daily Times.
She gave the instruction at a high-level review meeting with deputy commissioners of all districts, held in Lahore on Thursday. She said: "Punjab is confronting with serious issue of rising smog levels and burning of crop residue is adding further to the air pollution."
According to 24 News, the chief minister criticised the Okara deputy commissioner for not paying proper attention to residue burning in his district. Daily Times reported that she warned officials in Okara and other districts over failures to prevent such incidents.
The meeting covered other matters as well. The chief minister said the government is committed to turning Punjab into an ideal province and that a district-wise beautification plan is being carried out. She expressed dismay over delays in implementing it in some districts.
She ordered special squads for governance and road maintenance, repair of water filtration plants, and daily visits by deputy commissioners and additional deputy commissioners to hospitals to ensure medical facilities are available. Hospitals were given three days to improve their condition, and she ordered daily deep cleaning of hospitals and road washing.
She also ordered that Punjab be made free of encroachments through joint operations, that street lights work fully and that all manholes be covered. Owners who dump garbage on open plots are to be warned, then heavily fined, and in a third stage booked under an FIR.
Shoaib Mirza, adviser to the chief minister on the Punjab Performance Management Unit, presented a performance report on districts including Gujranwala, Attock, Bahawalpur, Murree, Chakwal, Jhelum, Layyah and Sahiwal. The chief minister praised good performance and issued warnings over the worst.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Crop residue burning contributes to smog in Lahore and other Punjab cities, which affects the health of residents. The order places responsibility for enforcement on deputy commissioners in every district. Residents of Punjab are also affected by the other directions on hospitals, street lights and cleanliness.
