EPA expands surveillance to issue e-challans to smoke-emitting vehicles

LAHORE: The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set up a dedicated desk at the Safe Cities Authority to detect smoke-emitting vehicles through the surveillance network and issue electronic challans to violators.

According to Lahore EPA Deputy Director Ali Ejaz, the move is part of the agency’s broader enforcement effort against vehicles that breach emission standards. He said that during the current month, fines exceeding Rs1 million had been imposed on 211 vehicles over emission-related violations.

Ali Ejaz said air pollution does not end in the summer season, but its severity and visible impact lessen because of seasonal conditions. He explained that in winter, temperature inversion keeps pollutants trapped near the ground, which makes smog and smoke more apparent.

In contrast, he said, stronger wind movement and rainfall in summer help disperse pollutants and reduce dust particles in the air, contributing to better air quality index readings.

Pollution levels and enforcement measures

The EPA official said several types of pollution, including particulate matter, had declined compared to last year. He also said that the emission testing system introduced as a pilot project during winter had now been organised more effectively and widened with private sector participation.

Responding to a question, Ali Ejaz said joint enforcement actions were also under way involving traffic police and EPA teams.

The latest step links environmental enforcement with the city’s surveillance infrastructure, allowing authorities to identify vehicles emitting excessive smoke and proceed with electronic penalties. The agency’s action comes as officials continue efforts to monitor emissions and improve compliance with environmental standards.

Ali Ejaz said the seasonal shift should not be taken to mean that pollution has disappeared, adding that weather conditions in summer mainly reduce the concentration and visibility of pollutants rather than eliminating them altogether.

He reiterated that winter conditions are more conducive to the build-up of smog because pollutants remain closer to the surface, while summer weather patterns help spread them out more quickly. He said this difference in atmospheric conditions was one of the reasons air quality indicators had shown improvement.

The official also pointed to the expansion of the emission testing regime beyond its initial pilot phase, saying the system had now been streamlined and broadened with support from the private sector. Alongside this, enforcement operations involving the EPA and traffic police are continuing to target vehicles that do not meet prescribed emission standards.