The Punjab government’s caretaker administration has announced that all schools, colleges, and universities in 10 districts of the province will be closed on November 18 due to the high level of smog.
The local government announced that stores, gyms, and movie theaters will stay shut until 3 PM on Saturday. Also, educational institutions in the following 10 districts will be closed.
- Lahore
- Gujranwala
- Nankana Sahib
- Sheikhupura
- Kasur
- Gujrat
- Sialkot
- Narowal
- Hafizabad
- Mandi Bahuddin
The notification has also ordered “restricted movement” in these 10 districts having highest air quality index (AQI). Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered all the offices to adopt work from home policy twice a week.
Furthermore, the court has consistently encouraged local authorities to encourage cycling as a way to tackle smog. In the past, the provincial government also declared four days off.
Additionally, Bilal Afzal, the Minister of Planning and Development, Forrest Wildlife, and Fisheries & Environmental Protection, pointed fingers at transportation as a major cause of smog. According to him, around 45% of the smog is attributed to the transportation sector.