LAHORE: The Environment Protection Department (EPD) has issued instructions to all field formations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take preemptive measures to control air pollution and smog in the province, officials told Dawn.

They said Environment Secretary retired Capt Saif Anjum issued these instructions for the upcoming winter.

Senior EPD officer Nasimur Rehman Shah told Dawn that depending on the tranquility (calmness) of air, smog once formed could stay for severaldays causing severe health problems and road accidents due to reduced visibility. Highly populated cities and agricultural areas of Punjab usually witnessed smog during winter when air pollution from vehicular emission, solid waste burning and stubble burning reacted with calm air to form smog.

He said Minister for Environment Zakia Shahnawaz conducted a meeting a few days ago and directed to coordinate with all departments concerned to take preemptive measures. The minister had requested all chambers of commerce and industry to fully cooperate with the EPD and industrialists to immediately stopthe use of substandard fuel.

The EPD has also requested home department and deputy commissioners to impose a ban on stubble burning under Section 144 in the next two months. He also requested the agriculture department to instruct all their field formations to create awareness among f armers in this regard and ensure a complete ban on stubble burning.

EPA officers have been directed to take immediate action under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997 against all industries and brick kilns using substandard fuel and running their units without emission control devices such as wet scrub-bers, electrostatic precipitators and fly ash arrestors. The department was working for the introduction of environment-friendly brick kiln technology with the collaboration of All Pakistan Brick Kiln Owners Association that was easily acceptable to brick kiln owners. About 10,300 brick kilns working in the province were major contributors to air pollution and played a key role in smog formation.

Rehman told Dawn that the All Pakistan Brick Kiln Owners Association had been working with EPD for the last many years to explore cost-effective and environment-f riendly technology. The association had visited Nepal ear-lier this year and studied Zig Zag Firing Brick Kilns in Kathmandu.

These kilns were almost similar to the conventional kilns here but their firing practices were better.

With this new technology, brick kilns would be 40 per cent more fuel efficient and emissions reduced 60pc. The first brick kiln on this model had been constructed in Raiwind, he added.

The EPD had also issued instructions to traffic police and transport department to control traffic congestion and vehicular pollution. The local government department has been requested to improve solid waste management practices and impose a complete ban on burning of solid waste.