Operational readiness of QRUs: DG EPA Punjab conducts surprise inspection

LAHORE: Director General of the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Abdullah Nayyer Sheikh, conducted a surprise visit to inspect the operational readiness of Quick Response Units (QRUs) deployed along motorways to prevent and control crop-residue burning as part of the province’s intensified anti-smog preparations.

During his visit to the Gujranwala-Sialkot Motorway in Gujranwala Division, the DG inspected the deployment and functioning of the response units and found all the Quick Response Units parked at their designated locations with staff present. The inspection was aimed at ensuring that the teams remained alert, properly positioned and ready to respond immediately to incidents of stubble burning, which can significantly contribute to air pollution during the rice-harvesting season.

The surprise inspection was part of the department’s preventive strategy to detect and extinguish crop-residue fires before they spread and add to the worsening air quality during the critical pre-smog period. The deployment of response teams along major motorway corridors is intended to enable rapid intervention at stubble-burning hotspots and strengthen surveillance of areas vulnerable to violations.

During the visit, Abdullah Nayyer Sheikh also met agriculture focal persons to review coordination between the environmental and agriculture departments. The discussions focused on monitoring rice-harvesting activities, identifying potential stubble-burning incidents and ensuring timely communication between field teams responsible for preventing agricultural fires.

The DG also inspected a Kabuta machine used for rice harvesting to assess harvesting practices and related arrangements in the field. The interaction with agriculture officials was aimed at strengthening coordination between harvesting operations and environmental enforcement, particularly in areas where the disposal of rice residue can become a major source of seasonal air pollution.

Punjab EPA has deployed 67 Quick Response Units equipped with fire browsers attached to tractors across 10 hotspot districts to respond to incidents of stubble burning. The units are designed to reach agricultural fields and other affected locations quickly, enabling field personnel to extinguish fires and prevent them from spreading. Their deployment along motorway corridors also provides a mechanism for responding to fire incidents identified through surveillance and field patrolling.

The operational strategy combines fire-anomaly detection, drone surveillance and physical patrolling by EPA personnel along motorways to identify crop-residue fires and facilitate a rapid response. Information gathered through surveillance is intended to help teams pinpoint potential fire locations, while patrolling staff provide ground-level monitoring and assist in reaching affected sites.

During the past three days, surveillance and monitoring activities have been used to identify stubble-burning incidents and coordinate responses by field personnel. The combined use of technology and on-ground enforcement is intended to reduce response times and prevent agricultural fires from continuing unchecked.

The department’s approach places emphasis on early detection and immediate firefighting rather than relying solely on action after smoke from crop-residue burning has spread over populated areas and transport corridors. Timely intervention is particularly important during the rice-harvesting season, when the burning of agricultural waste can add to particulate pollution and compound the effects of unfavourable weather conditions.

The deployment of dedicated response units across 10 hotspot districts reflects the Punjab government’s focus on tackling one of the seasonal sources of air pollution before the onset of severe smog. With fire bowsers, tractor-mounted equipment, drone surveillance and motorway patrolling operating as complementary measures, the department aims to strengthen its capacity to locate incidents and respond on the ground.

The surprise visit also served to verify the presence of staff and the readiness of deployed units, underscoring the importance of maintaining an active field response throughout the harvesting season. The DG’s engagement with agriculture focal persons further highlighted the need for coordination between environmental monitoring, harvesting practices and emergency response arrangements.

Punjab EPA is continuing its preventive anti-smog efforts with a focus on surveillance, field preparedness and the prompt control of stubble-burning incidents. The department’s immediate priority is to ensure that its Quick Response Units remain operational and capable of responding wherever agricultural fires are detected.

Note for finalisation: The number of stubble-burning fires extinguished during the past three days was not provided. That figure should be added, along with the relevant district-wise breakdown if available, to quantify the results of the surveillance and response operations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026