Punjab Expands Digital Environmental Monitoring Across Province

LAHORE: Senior Punjab Minister Maryum Aurangzeb has said the Punjab government has introduced live inspections of petrol stations for the first time and amended environmental regulations to ensure the quality of petrol and diesel, aiming to curb air pollution caused by substandard fuel. Addressing a media briefing, she said the transport sector remained one of the major contributors to air pollution due to poor fuel quality. She added that the government had launched a comprehensive fuel quality monitoring system under the revised environmental framework. The minister said more than 5,000 public and private hospitals across Punjab had been mapped and brought under environmental monitoring. Hospitals lacking proper medical waste incinerators had been issued warning notices to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Highlighting measures to address industrial pollution, Marriyum Aurangzeb said the government had amended the “Polluter Pays Principle” and required industries operating along the Hudiara Drain to collectively establish wastewater treatment plants. The initiative, she said, was aimed at preventing hazardous industrial chemicals from contaminating agricultural land and food crops. She further stated that all public and private construction sites in Lahore and across Punjab had been digitally mapped and were required to obtain environmental clearance before commencing work. Construction sites were also mandated to install water sprinkling systems to suppress dust emissions, a model adopted after studying Japan’s environmental management practices. The minister said the Environment Protection Department had established dedicated units within Safe City systems to monitor vehicle emissions and urban waste management across Punjab. She added that the department’s internal accountability mechanism had also been strengthened, while the automated environmental complaint service through WhatsApp helpline 1373 remained operational round the clock for public complaints. Marriyum Aurangzeb said that during the past five to six years, the government’s response to smog had largely focused on emergency measures such as closing schools and restaurants due to the lack of reliable environmental data. However, she said Punjab had now established a digital environmental monitoring network covering more than 13,000 industrial units. According to the minister, all registered industrial units have been digitally mapped and assigned QR codes, while environmental control systems and monitoring cameras have been installed on industrial chimneys. Their live feeds are being monitored through a centralized digital dashboard. She warned that if any industrial unit emitted black smoke or switched off its pollution control system, the Environment Protection Force, equipped with body cameras, would immediately reach the site and initiate legal action against the violators.