LAHORE: Director General of the Environment Protection Department, Zaheer Abbas Malik has promised all out facilitation for the industry.

In a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), he emphasized the importance of addressing the smog crisis in Punjab. He stated that the department had meticulously mapped the pollution sources, identifying fugitive dust on the roadsides as a major contributor to smog.

To combat this issue, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), Lahore Development Authority (LDA), and Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) have joined forces with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to initiate road-sprinkling efforts.

President LCCI, Kashif Anwar warmly welcomed the Director General of EPA and stressed the need for collaborative efforts between LCCI and EPA to improve the environment and industry.

The DG pointed out that AQI levels tend to rise from Monday, peak on Wednesday, and decrease over the weekends. The aim was to mitigate this midweek peak by introducing a holiday, recognizing the costs of a business closure but also emphasizing the health risks and reduced life expectancy associated with poor AQI.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023