The Punjab government has officially notified three weekly holidays for public and private educational institutions in Lahore amid the prevailing smog. The three holidays per week will remain effective until further notice.

Punjab Officially Announces 3 Holidays for Schools
Pakistani children walking to school in heavy smog in Lahore, Pakistan, November 6, 2017. (Photo AFP) (AFP)

The Punjab government has officially notified three weekly holidays for public and private educational institutions in Lahore amid the prevailing smog. The three holidays per week will remain effective until further notice.
  • LHC orders
  • All private, public schools to remain closed: notification.
  • Elahi announces to impose environmental emergency in Lahore.
  • Smog is disastrous for health.
  • Decision was made in line with LHC's orders.
  • Concerned heads to manage homework distribution during closure.

The schools in Lahore will remain closed for additional two days — Friday and Saturday — weekly due to the rising situation of smog in the city, said a notification issued on Wednesday.
The School Education Department's statement noted that the decision to close the schools on a weekly basis was decided in accordance with the Lahore High Court's instructions (LHC).
The decision is applied to all the private and government schools of District Lahore.

Decision was made in line with LHC's orders:
The Punjab administration was asked by the Lahore High Court to give notice that schools would be closed for three days per week starting tomorrow (Wednesday).
The court granted the orders while a case involving haze and pollution in Lahore and other Punjab cities was being heard.
The Punjab government's attorney must provide a notice of tomorrow's school closure, the court ruled during the hearing.
Punjab Officially Announces 3 Holidays for Schools
Smog Emergency:
As a result of the haze, Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi declared an environmental emergency in Lahore and other towns.
The chief minister declared the smog to be disastrous and gave the order to successfully carry out the smog-reduction strategy.

"According to CM Elahi, failing to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to minimise smog will not be tolerated. "Action should be made to control those elements that are creating smog," he added.

The chief minister also declared a ban on burning crop leftovers, announcing that anyone found doing so will face consequences.

Action will also be taken against the vehicles that are emitting smoke, according to CM Elahi. He continued by saying that the anti-smog team would continually inspect the city's smoke-emitting automobiles.

The chief minister stated that the anti-smog team would also inspect the vehicles at the city of Lahore's entrance. He also mentioned that the farmers would receive a cutting-edge harvester called "Hepper Seed" to get rid of crop waste.

The chief minister declared that zigzag technology is to be implemented in all brick kilns. Additionally, he mandated that a three-month anti-smog campaign be carried out continually by the departments of the environment, agriculture, industry, and transportation.