A senior Punjab government official told the Superior Court of Lahore (LHC) that a drought management plan that will be implemented throughout the province has been developed on Thursday.
The development came to light today in the written order for the hearing last Friday by Judge Shahid Karim in several requests related to ineffective measures of officials against Smog.
The LHC judge had expressed serious concerns about the decrease in groundwater levels at the hearing last week and ordered the authorities to consider imposing a fine of RS10,000 in people who wash cars at home.
A Judicial Water Commission had submitted a report to the Court, highlighting the exhaustion of underground water resources. The judge had emphasized the need for the appropriate rules to conserve water, which suggests prohibiting cars in houses to save significant amounts of water.
The order written for the hearing said that the attorney general of Punjab (AAG) Hassan Ali had informed the court that a drought management plan had been developed, which would be implemented by different government departments throughout the province.
According to the order, the AAG admitted that a law for water conservation in 2019 was promulgated in 2019 that provides for an authority to be directed by Punjab Prime Minister.
“The Chief Secretary will present proposals at the authority meeting to be convened also so that the Commission is mentioned as mentioned in the law,” said the order.
The AAG also informed the judge that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took “substantial measures” regarding water conservation, which constitutes a water conservation supervision committee.
The judge ordered that the entire process be supervised by the EPA.
“This will include a arranged effort to inspect gasoline pumps with respect to the operation of recycling plants,” the written order said, and added that in the case of gasoline pumps that are without obligations, “they are sealed with no more than a warning. “
“A fine of RS100,000 will be imposed on default gasoline pumps,” the order added.
He also said that the main secretary of PUNJAB must initiate a broad campaign to inform the general public about water conservation and the government’s decision to impose a complete prohibition of water use to wash cars and the use of hose pipes in households.
“Anyone who is in violation of these addresses will impose a fine of RS10,000,” he said.
“Similarly, local governments, as well as Punjab’s development authorities, must incorporate the rules for treatment plants that will be installed in the future construction of houses and commercial buildings,” added the order.
During an audience in November last year, the LHC expressed its dissatisfaction with the steps taken by the Punjab governments and the city district to control the SMOG.
In a later hearing, the LHC observed that a long -term policy was needed to control the SMOG, ordering the Punjab government to take measures beyond simple paperwork.
