The Punjab Environmental Department has made a major move to combat smog by enforcing a "Green Lockdown" in Lahore. Lahore has been experiencing the worst smog for the last few days, and it has aggravated to a level that has touched 708 points on the Air Quality Index (AQI). The Environmental Department on Wednesday issued a notification for the lockdown. Davis Road, Egerton Road, Durand Road, and Kashmir Road, along with the areas from Shimla Hill to Gulshan Cinema and Abbott Road, have been designated as hotspot areas. Additionally, the area from Shimla Hill to the Railway Station and Empress Road has been declared a hotspot, and Queen Mary Road and its surroundings are also marked as polluted zones.

In these areas, all construction activities will be completely banned. Commercial generators will not be allowed to operate, Chingchi rickshaws will be strictly prohibited, and open barbecue will be restricted after 8pm. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz underscored the need for 'climate diplomacy' with India to tackle the scourge of smog. Addressing a Diwali event in Lahore, the chief minister said Pakistan must have diplomacy with India to fight smog in Lahore. “I am thinking of writing a letter to the Indian Punjab chief minister. This is not just a political issue but a humanitarian issue," she said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan