Due to heavy smog, on an order issued by the Lahore High Court on Friday, the Punjab government has ordered the closure of restaurants in central Punjab including Lahore at 10 pm.
The provincial government has already closed educational institutions two days a week. Markets It has ordered to open two days a week at three o’clock and to keep it closed on Sundays.
According to the report of the health department in Lahore Smog Due to this, colds, flu, chest infections, fever and respiratory diseases are spreading rapidly among children and adults.
There has been a rush of patients in the hospitals of Lahore and more than 300 patients are being reported daily in Mayo Hospital alone, while medical experts have advised the citizens to wear masks and go out.
According to the Department of Environment, there is no significant decrease in air quality index in Lahore during this week from October and the index remains between three and five hundred.
The government has also announced artificial rain on November 29 when there is 40% cloud cover.
Legal expert Sahibzada Muzaffar said that ‘according to the report given in the court of experts, if the government had not taken these strict measures, the air quality index in the city could have reached 900 by now.’
According to President of Restaurant Association Pakistan, Amir Qureshi, ‘business is more on Saturdays and Sundays, loss of billions of rupees due to ban and millions of employees may lose their jobs.
‘It is not known why the court and the government are being so strict in closing the restaurants of Johar Town at 10 o’clock at night?’
In this December 17, 2021 photo, Lahore’s air is seen filled with smog (AFP/Arif Ali)
Purpose and financial loss of restaurant closing at 10 pm:
According to legal expert Sahibzada Muzaffar, Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court has been hearing the case related to environmental pollution for the last four years.
“It orders measures every year, but every year the smog is getting worse. This time also the court ordered strict measures because if such measures are not taken it will become difficult to breathe in the city.
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According to Sahibzada Muzaffar: ‘Stopping the smoke coming from vehicles and stoves at restaurants is as important as other measures are inevitable. Johar Town has the largest restaurant market in the city.
He said: ‘Safeguarding the lives of citizens is paramount in the eyes of the courts and the government.
“Although there is financial loss in many sectors, until the intensity of smog is reduced, implementation of restrictions is mandatory.”
Aamir Qureshi says that other government measures to control smog are not effective and the smog is not reducing.
Now the restaurant has been ordered to close. Work starts at seven, eight o’clock in the evening and closing at 10 o’clock is prohibited.
“This is not only causing loss of billions of rupees to the owners, but also causing loss to lakhs of daily wage workers.”
He said that ‘it seems that the government only wants to destroy the business because business is done only on Saturday and Sunday, restrictions have been imposed on those days, restrictions can be imposed on any other day.
“The government itself has no idea what to do or not to do, whatever comes to mind, restrictions are ordered without thinking about the benefit or harm.”
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2024-09-27 06:39:28