Punjab EPA Orders One-Week School Closure for Students Up to 5th Grade in Lahore Due to High Pollution Levels – Notification

No. 101/DG/EPA/2024

ORDERS FOR ONE WEEK COMPULSORY LEAVE FROM SCHOOL FOR THE STUDENTS UPTO 5TH GRADE IN LAHORE U/S 6(1)(t) OF THE PUNJAB ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1997

ORDER

WHEREAS, Government of Punjab is striving hard to control all possible intrinsic factors which cause air pollution and deteriorate quality of ambient air. Pre-emptive measures against all the sources of air pollution have already been started by EPA as well as other concerned departments:
2.         AND WHEREAS, as per Section 2(xxxiii) of The Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997, pollution means the contamination of air, land or water by the discharge or emission of effluents or wastes or air pollutants or noise or other matter which either directly or indirectly or in combination with other discharges or substances alters unfavorably the chemical, physical, biological, radiation, thermal or radiological or aesthetic properties of the air, land or water or which may, or is likely to make the air, land or water unclean, noxious or impure or injurious, disagreeable or detrimental to the health, safety, welfare or property of persons or harmful to biodiversity:
3.         AND WHEREAS, Government of Punjab has notified a Health Advisory System for Critical Air Pollution Events (HAS-CAPEs) on 13-12-2022 under which the 1″ meeting of Provincial CAPES Committee (PCC) was held on 21-10-2024 which declared that Critical Air Pollution Event has taken place in Lahore, keeping in view the current high levels of Air Quality Index (AQI).
4.         AND WHEREAS, Section 6(1)(t) of The Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997 empowers EPA to take or cause to be taken all necessary measures for the protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment, prevention and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development;
5.         NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh (PAS), Director General, Environmental Protection Agency. Punjab in exercise of the powers conferred upon me u/s 6(1)(1) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997, do hereby order that all the classes upto 5th grade in all schools (public, private & special education) located in the territorial jurisdiction of district Lahore shall remain closed for one (01) week with effect from 04-11-2024 (Monday) till 09-11-2024 (Saturday). Further instructions in this regard will be issued on 09-11-24
6.         Any contravention to this order shall be punished u/s 188 PPC and any other relevant legal framework for the time being in force.
Issued under my hand and seal on this 3rd day of November, 2024.

DIRECTOR GENERAL
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
PUNJAB

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