LAHORE – Due to the deteriorating pollution conditions in the provincial capital Lahore, all private and public schools, as well as marketplaces, would be closed on Wednesday.
Reports in local media suggest that the Punjab government was considering implementing restrictions similar to those imposed by the coronavirus in Lahore to manage the deteriorating pollution situation.
The government is likely to announce a total shutdown on Wednesdays, with all businesses closed, including markets, factories, and schools.
The government departments will work with half their normal staff on Wednesdays under the new suggested strategy, while snap-checking should be done on Saturday and Sundays.
It has also been proposed to levy significant fines on factories that break the law.
The city’s traffic patterns are the primary cause of the smog, with factory emissions only accounting for 7% of Lahore’s overall pollution.
To combat smog in the Lahore Division, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated that the government will declare a work-from-home policy for two months.
The decision to keep markets closed on Wednesdays was supported by traders in Lahore, he added, adding that they can choose to open markets on Sundays.
