Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Thursday said that indiscriminate action will be initiated against lawbreakers and no one will be allowed to interrupt the routine life of the people. "Ensuring law and order is the fundamental responsibility of the government and this would be fulfilled at every cost," the CM said while chairing a high-level meeting at his office here on Thursday in which overall law and order situation and steps taken for the protection of life and property of the people were reviewed in detail.
Addressing the meeting, the CM maintained that the rule of law will be ensured at every cost. He also directed to continue indiscriminate operation against the criminals; "No one will be allowed to take the law into one's own hands." The chief minister directed to take every required step to protect the lives of the people and added that every possible step should be taken so as to ensure an environment of peace in the province. Nothing is important than the protection of life and property of the people, he emphasised.
Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Chief Secretary, IG Police, ACS (Home) and others attended the meeting. Moreover, the CM chaired a meeting in which steps for dealing with the possibility of smog were reviewed. Addressing the meeting, the CM directed the provincial government departments to remain fully alert and complete their departmental preparations to deal with smog. He asked the agriculture department to strictly ensure the ban on burning of crops' residue and added that action should be initiated against the industries causing pollution.
The chief minister directed to strictly implement the ban on burning of tyres adding that action should be initiated in case of any violation. He said the smoke-emitting brick-kilns cause environmental pollution, therefore, these brick-kilns should be converted to zig-zag technology while the environment protection department should adopt effective measures to transfer steel re-rolling industries to environment-friendly technology.
The chief minister was briefed that 2407 industrial units have been inspected by the environment protection department and notices have been issued to 1487 industrial units. Meanwhile, 86 industrial units have been sealed and 91 FIRs have been got registered against 91 units for spreading environmental pollution. The meteorological department officials apprised about the weather conditions of coming days and SUPARCO experts briefed about the places causing smog through satellite images.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019