LHC directs Education Dept to float proposal for two-week winter vacations
Orders Pemra to run advertisements on awareness about smog: Directs monitoring of factories causing pollution thru cameras
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The Lahore High Court has directed Education Department to float a proposal for two-week winter vacations in order to check level of smog in Lahore, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Hearing the case about the smog on Monday, LHC’s Justice Shahid Karim ordered Pemra to run advertisements on electronic media prime time highlighting awareness about the smog.
The LHC judge also ordered steps for monitoring factories causing pollution through cameras.
The court also ordered the Environment Protection Department and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to send a requisition to the government for acquiring long-range cameras.
Justice Shahid Karim conducted the hearing on the petitions of Haroon Farooq and others. Member Judicial Environmental Commission Hina Hafeezullah Ishaq and Syed Kamal Haider presented a report on the implementation of the court orders.
Deputy Attorney General Asad Ali Bajwa and the officers of departments concerned also appeared before the court.
“The smog has increased again [in the city],” Justice Shahid Karim said. “There are development projects going on; therefore, the smog has increased,” the lawyer replied.
A report on amendments to the rules of the Environment Department was also presented before the court.
“The court had ordered to use cameras for the monitoring of industries. The Green Development Authority has funds that can be transferred for this purpose,” Justice Shahid Karim remarked.
“The deputy commissioner had been asked to ensure usage of cameras for the monitoring of industries in the last hearing,” he added.
“The schools have announced holidays till the first week of January. Children are being affected by smog,” Azhar Siddique Advocate told the court.
He pleaded with the court to order for extending the winter vacations in schools till the second week of January.
The court also directed the Members Judicial Commission to talk to the Education Department for increasing the school holidays.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case till January 23.