Lahore: In a concerted effort to tackle smog and protect the environment, Punjab Police has ramped up its enforcement actions under the directive of Inspector General of Police Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar.

According to Punjab Police, the crackdown has led to the registration of eight cases in the past 24 hours, resulting in the arrest of two individuals and the imposition of fines exceeding Rs. 859,000 on 514 violators. The violations addressed include two instances of burning crop residue and 412 cases of vehicles emitting excessive smoke.

The police’s ongoing anti-smog campaign has had a significant impact over the year, with 3,248 individuals arrested and 3,769 cases registered. Warnings have been issued to 7,503 people, and fines totaling more than Rs. 98.4 million have been levied on 39,811 violators. Among these violations, 2,059 involved burning crop residue, 34,442 related to excessive smoke-emitting vehicles, 364 were industrial violations, 1,410 involved brick kilns, and 360 were at other locations.

In the past 24 hours alone, challans were issued to 5,510 vehicles emitting excessive smoke, 525 vehicles were impounded, and the fitness certificate of one vehicle was suspended. Over the course of the year, 880,201 vehicles have been fined for excessive smoke emissions, 171,796 vehicles have been impounded, and 10,108 fitness certificates have been suspended. IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar has called for an intensification of the anti-smog efforts, emphasizing strict legal action against violators across highways, industrial zones, agricultural areas, and other locations, adhering to a zero-tolerance policy.