A delegation from the US Consulate in Lahore visited the Punjab EPA on Tuesday to review the provincial government’s anti-smog campaign and environmental protection measures. England Three Lions face Haaland-inspired Norway in World Cup quarter-final Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb welcomed the delegation at the EPA headquarters. Provincial ministers also attended the visit. The delegation toured the EPA control room. Officials demonstrated the air pollution monitoring system, air quality management platform and live Air Quality Index (AQI) dashboard. Aurangzeb said Lahore ranked as the world’s most polluted city in November 2024. However, she said government measures had significantly improved air quality under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. She added that the government had expanded the EPA’s authority. It also increased funding and introduced modern technology. The minister said Punjab had made Super Seeder machines mandatory to reduce crop residue burning. She said the province had only 250 Super Seeders when the current government took office. The number has now increased to 7,500. Moreover, the government plans to provide 15,000 machines by next year. Farmers receive a 60% subsidy under the Smog-Free Punjab programme. Aurangzeb said the provincial government had allocated a record budget for environmental protection, forestry and wildlife over the past two years. She also announced the establishment of Pakistan’s first Climate Change Observatory. The facility will serve as a regional hub for climate and environmental data. EPA officials said they monitor industrial units across Punjab around the clock. They also confirmed that all field officers now wear body cameras during inspections. In addition, every brick kiln in Punjab has shifted to zigzag technology to reduce emissions. Officials said motorways, shopping malls and model bazaars in Lahore are now plastic-free zones. The government plans to extend the initiative to commercial markets across the province. The delegation also reviewed measures to control dust at construction sites. Officials demonstrated a robo-call alert system that immediately reports violations. Furthermore, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority supports pollution monitoring through surveillance technology. The delegation also examined the Punjab AQI mobile application, emissions testing system, online licensing platform, live location monitoring system, and wind direction and heatwave monitoring technologies. Post navigation Mangi Dam attack Balochistan report says 27 security personnel martyred, 15 militants killed
