LAHORE: The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has identified 1,327 cases of environmental violations in three days. It used artificial intelligence-based cameras, drones and virtual patrolling as part of an ongoing technology-driven crackdown against smog.
The action is part of the province’s effort to curb the main sources of air pollution before the peak smog season sets in.
According to a Safe City spokesperson, the largest category was vehicles carrying construction material without tarpaulin covers. Authorities identified 637 such vehicles. Fines were imposed on 390 and warnings issued to 146.
Uncovered sand, gravel and soil release dust along every kilometre of road they travel. This dust is a major contributor to particulate pollution in growing cities such as Lahore.
Authorities identified 507 smoke-emitting vehicles. Of these, 406 were issued challans and 29 received warnings.
Separately, Safe City cameras generated 756 e-challans against vehicles emitting smoke. Vehicle exhaust is widely identified as one of the largest contributors to Lahore’s air pollution. Older, poorly maintained engines release fine particulate matter directly at street level, where people breathe it in.
The spokesperson said 120 violations related to barbecue smoke and chimneys were identified. Of these, 4 were fined and 100 were given warnings.
Authorities reported 54 cases of smoke emissions from brick kilns. Three kilns were fined, one was sealed and 21 were issued warnings.
The spokesperson said Safe City cameras and drones are also monitoring incidents of crop-residue burning and waste burning.
Environmental violations are being monitored with modern technology through Smart Safe City Centres established across Punjab. Camera networks and drones allow enforcement teams to cover large areas and identify violations that are hard to catch through ground patrols alone.
The PSCA was set up in 2016 to establish integrated command, control and surveillance systems in Punjab’s cities. Its camera network, originally built for policing and traffic management, is now increasingly being used for environmental enforcement as well.
The figures show a mix of penalties and warnings. Warnings clearly dominate in some categories, most notably barbecue and chimney smoke, where 100 of 120 cases ended with a warning.
The breakdown shared by the spokesperson does not account for all identified cases. In the construction category, 101 of the 637 vehicles are not covered by the stated fines and warnings. In the smoke-emitting category, 72 of 507 are not accounted for. The Lahore Times will seek clarification on the outcome of these cases.
The Safe City spokesperson appealed to citizens to report smog-causing activities through Helpline 15. Reports can also be made through the “Connect to PSCA” feature of the Public Safety App.
The crackdown adds to the province’s pre-season anti-smog measures. Lahore’s traffic police have also recently ordered action against uncovered goods carriers.
Leave a Reply