Lahore High Court orders schools to arrange transport for children

The Lahore High Court, in a recent hearing, ruled that schools should provide transport to children after the winter vacations, while the government has announced a relaxation of smog restrictions in the city.

Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court issued a three-page order on petitions regarding the smog issue.

During the hearing, the court praised the Transport Department’s efforts to curb smog. Additionally, Punjab’s Advocate General informed the court that the provincial government is taking steps to control smog, including filing cases against those who burn crop residues.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has further relaxed smog restrictions in the city.

Geo News reports that Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, Director General of the Environment Department, has issued a notification outlining these changes.

The notification states that construction work is now allowed in four districts of the province, including Lahore. Brick kilns using zigzag technology will also be permitted to operate.

Government and private offices can now operate with full staff. However, the decision to close shops, markets, and shopping malls at 8 pm will remain in place.

Indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants will be allowed until 10 pm, while barbecues must install a hood system to operate.

Heavy traffic will only be allowed to enter the districts from Monday to Thursday.

These decisions apply to Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, and Faisalabad.

Earlier, the government declared a health emergency in Multan and Lahore - the two most polluted cities in the province.

The Punjab government, in response to the severity of smog, imposed a "green lockdown" in Lahore, restricting commercial activities in identified smog hotspots and planning strict actions against violators.

Previously, Secretary of Schools Punjab Khalid Nazir Wattoo announced that winter vacations in Punjab will begin on December 20 and end on January 10. This year’s break will last 20 days, a change due to shifting weather patterns, smog, and climate change.