Web desk: The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned Punjab University buses that were found emitting excessive smoke.
EPA officials said their teams stopped multiple university buses on Canal Road during routine inspections.
Punjab University buses seized
The buses were producing heavy smoke and did not have the required fitness certificates to operate on public roads.
The vehicles were immediately taken into custody, and action has been launched under the Environmental Protection Act.
According to the EPA, this is part of a broader campaign against smoke-emitting buses used by universities, colleges, schools and hospitals.
The purpose of the crackdown is to stop unfit and poorly maintained vehicles from worsening the air quality.
Lahore and other major cities in Punjab are already facing severe smog, leading the government to tighten monitoring and enforcement.
Officials said old buses and heavy transport vehicles, including trucks, are some of the biggest sources of emissions.
Monitoring teams have now been deployed across Punjab to ensure that no unfit vehicle is allowed on the roads.
The EPA has warned that institutions not following environmental rules will face strict penalties.
The agency stressed that reducing vehicle emissions is necessary to protect public health and improve air quality in the province.
Punjab weather
Previously, the Punjab capital breathed a little easier after a small decrease in air pollution.
However, Lahore still ranks among the most polluted cities in the world.
Latest global data shows that Lahore is placed at number four, with a heavy layer of smog covering the city as winter begins.
The overall Air Quality Index in the city was recorded at 193, which is considered harmful. The Timber Market area again reported the worst air quality with an AQI of 941.
The Sessions Courts also remained highly polluted with an AQI of 644. The FC College area showed a hazardous level of 550.
Officials say these readings are the result of weak winds and increasing cold, which trap smog in the air.
