Punjab schools and offices get holiday on Nov 18. In a significant move to address the escalating smog crisis in Punjab, the Caretaker Chief Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, declared the closure of schools and offices across the province on Saturday, November 18.
This decision comes as a response to the air quality deterioration, with the concentration of PM 2.5 reaching 195, a level categorized as unhealthy.
Earlier in the week, the particulate matter had spiked to a hazardous 400.
Naqvi’s announcement follows a directive from Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court, who on Monday ordered the government to shut down all educational institutions on Saturdays in Punjab due to the inadequacy of measures taken to control smog.
Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan with a population of 11 million, consistently earns the unenviable title of the world’s most polluted city.
Residents are now being urged to remain indoors, don masks, and cope with respiratory challenges.
Last week, a four-day hiatus was observed in areas severely impacted by smog, coupled with the temporary closure of certain businesses.
However, operations were reinstated after rainfall played a role in mitigating the smog levels.
As Punjab schools and offices get holiday on Nov 18, Chief Minister Naqvi underscored the alarming statistic that 90% of winter crop burning, a major contributor to smog, occurs in Punjab.
In a bid to address this issue, he announced government support for farmers to acquire modern machinery. Naqvi also highlighted additional measures being implemented to combat the smog crisis in the region.
