Punjab government has started a cleanliness drive in Lahore to combat smog, caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Naqvi said the provincial government has deployed four teams with 100 members each to clear the city roads from dust.

“Focused on minimal disruption, this initiative aims to improve air quality without impacting traffic flow,” the interim chief minister wrote.

Lahore has lately been plagued with a smog crisis. As per IQ Air, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was 190 on Sunday, a level that is considered ‘unhealthy’.

Last month, the Lahore High Court directed all educational institutions in Punjab to stay closed on Saturdays until the end of January.

1,112 canals to be cleaned in Punjab

Meanwhile, Punjab government has also decided to launch a comprehensive desilting drive to properly clean 1,112 canals of the province after 10 years, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

Widespread rain in Lahore helps reduce density of smog

Chairing a meeting in Lahore, the caretaker chief minister informed that the desilting campaign would start from December 26 and will continue January 20.

During the meeting, Naqvi said attention should be paid to the repair of canals along with cleanliness, and ordered to take effective measures to curb water theft.