LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched a province-wide anti-smog operation targeting illegal industrial units responsible for air pollution, as part of intensified efforts to control worsening environmental conditions across major urban centres.
Acting on directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, authorities have demolished more than 100 illegal industrial units over the past 20 days in various parts of the province. Officials say the action is part of a zero-tolerance policy against environmental violations, with a focus on permanently removing sources of pollution rather than merely sealing them.
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the government is conducting a coordinated crackdown across districts, tehsils and union councils, with instructions to take indiscriminate action against all violators of environmental laws.
She added that in Lahore alone, monitoring and enforcement activities are being carried out at the union council level. More than 200 union councils and housing societies in the provincial capital have been surveyed so far as part of the ongoing campaign.
According to the minister, joint inspection teams comprising officials from the Environment Protection Department, union council secretaries and housing society managers are identifying illegal industrial activity in both residential and commercial areas. She said preliminary surveys have not confirmed the presence of illegal fat-melting units in inspected locations.
To ensure transparency, inspection findings are being verified through drone surveillance in addition to ground monitoring.
The provincial government has also urged citizens to support the anti-smog campaign by reporting pollution-causing activities through the helpline 1373. Officials say public participation is crucial for the success of the drive and for achieving cleaner air across Punjab.
Authorities said the crackdown will continue in the coming weeks as part of a broader strategy to reduce industrial pollution, which has contributed significantly to recurring smog episodes in the province, particularly during the winter season.
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