Punjab CM Orders Complete Ban on Crop Residue Burning to Tackle Smog
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directs deputy commissioners to enforce a full ban on crop burning as smog levels rise across Punjab, while also ordering action on beautification, water filtration and healthcare.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed deputy commissioners across the province to strictly enforce a complete ban on the burning of crop residue, citing the practice as a major contributor to worsening smog conditions. The directive was issued during a high-level review meeting with deputy commissioners from all districts in Lahore on Thursday.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said Punjab faces a serious challenge from rising smog levels, and that burning agricultural waste is further aggravating air pollution. She stressed that curbing the practice is essential to protecting public health across the province.
During the session, Maryam Nawaz voiced dissatisfaction over delays in a district-wise beautification plan, noting that progress had been uneven in some areas. She specifically criticised the deputy commissioner of Okara for insufficient attention to crop-residue burning in that district.
The Chief Minister also ordered the formation of special squads tasked with governance and road maintenance, and instructed officials to repair water filtration plants in their respective districts. Deputy commissioners and additional deputy commissioners were directed to visit hospitals daily to ensure that medical facilities remain available to citizens.
A performance report covering districts including Gujranwala, Attock, Bahawalpur, Murree, Chakwal, Jhelum, Layyah and Sahiwal was presented by Shoaib Mirza, Advisor to the Chief Minister on the Punjab Performance Management Unit. Maryam Nawaz reiterated her government's commitment to turning Punjab into an ideal province and called for joint operations to remove encroachments, aiming for an encroachment-free province.
