Punjab Bans Petrol Motorcycle Rickshaw Production to Combat Smog, Launches Comprehensive Environmental Initiatives

Lahore (Daily Qudrat) — The Punjab government has decided to ban the production of petrol-powered motorcycle rickshaws across the province as part of its anti-smog measures. The announcement was made during a special Cabinet Committee meeting on Smog Control, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

The meeting approved a phased ban on petrol-powered motorcycles and mandated that all government institutions purchase only electric and hybrid vehicles. Measures were also announced to prohibit washing vehicles with water at homes and to strictly enforce penalties against burning plastic or other polluting materials.

The committee approved the establishment of workshops under a public-private partnership to test vehicles emitting smoke beyond permissible levels. Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb briefed the committee on initiatives, including the establishment of Punjab’s first state-of-the-art Air Quality Monitoring Network and real-time AQI forecasting, which have significantly reduced local pollution.

Comprehensive anti-pollution operations are ongoing in multiple areas, including monitoring crop burning in Lahore and surrounding regions. Drones and satellite tracking are being used to prevent environmental damage, and Quick Response Centers and forces have been deployed to act immediately against violations.

The government also launched the country’s first “Eco Chatbot,” along with mobile applications and public dashboards to report environmental concerns. So far, 41 air quality monitoring units are operational in 18 districts, with plans to install 100 more sensors province-wide next year. The first vehicle emission testing system has already tested 300,000 vehicles. A Smog War Room has been established in the Punjab Safe City Authority, utilizing 8,500 CCTV cameras for digital monitoring of industries, car wash stations, and pollution hotspots. Over 450 industrial units causing pollution have been demolished, and fines totaling PKR 23 crore have been imposed.

Special night squads and CCTV surveillance are actively controlling industrial emissions, while campaigns to eliminate child labor in brick kilns and reduce hazardous practices are being enforced. The “Green Punjab” app, Eco Watch, and a 1373 helpline allow citizens to report environmental violations. Awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, and universities are ongoing, alongside the province’s first Green School Certification Program.

Reforestation initiatives include planting 2.1 million trees across 112 kilometers around Lahore, with significant plantations along Ring Road, under the “Lungs of Lahore” project, and alongside 40 kilometers of railway tracks.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed satisfaction with the progress, appreciating the team’s efforts and instructing strict enforcement of zero-tolerance policies against child labor in brick kilns. She emphasized using technology and innovation to further improve Punjab’s environmental standards over the next four years, praising public cooperation in these initiatives.