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Schools close in Lahore as pollution hits record level

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Unprecedented air pollution in the Pakistani city of Lahore has forced authorities to close all primary schools for a week.

From Monday, 50% of office workers will also work from home, as part of a “green lockdown” plan. Other measures include bans on engine-powered rickshaws and vendors that barbecue without filters.

“This smog is very harmful for children, masks should be mandatory in schools,” Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said.

Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, topped the world list of cities with the most polluted air for a second time on Sunday.

The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, exceeded 1,000 on Saturday, well above the benchmark of 300 considered “dangerous” by the World Health Organization, according to data from IQAir.

The level of fine particulate matter in the air, the most damaging to health, also soared well into hazardous levels.

Raja Jehangir Anwar, a senior environment official, said the “biggest headache” causing the smog was the practice of burning crop waste, known as stubble, across the Indian border.

Aurangzeb said the fumes were “being carried by strong winds into Pakistan”.

“This cannot be solved without talks with India,” she said, adding that the provincial government would initiate such discussions through the foreign ministry.

The government is urging people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

Vehicles equipped with pumps are spraying water into the air to help control the smog level. Construction work has been halted in certain areas.

The situation will be assessed again next Saturday to establish whether schools should remain shut.

Inhaling toxic air can have catastrophic health consequences, including strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and some respiratory diseases, according to the WHO.

Last month pupils were banned from outdoor exercise until January and school hours were adjusted to prevent children from travelling when pollution levels are the highest.

“As a mother, I am full of anxiety,” 42-year-old Lilly Mirza told AFP news agency.

“Last year was not this bad… Somebody needs to tell us what has happened. Did a pollution bomb explode somewhere?”

The smog crisis is worse in winter, when cold, denser air traps pollutants closer to the ground.

(BBC News)

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Ex-chairman of Lindula-Talawakelle UC, remanded

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Former chairman of the Lindula-Talawakelle Urban Council – Asoka Sepala has been arrested today (June 02).

The Colombo Chief Magistrate has ordered to remand the suspect until June 11.

The former chairman has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for causing a loss of Rs. 2.38 million to the government, during the issuance of a tender to lease stall belonging to the Urban Council.

It is said that instead of awarding the tender to the highest bidder, it was given to a lower bidder, resulting in the aforementioned loss.

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Halloluwa further remanded

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Former Director of the National Lotteries Board (NLB) – Thusitha Halloluwa, has been further remanded until June 04, by the Fort Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Halloluwa remains in custody over alleged misappropriation of government assets belonging to the NLB.

He was previously arrested and released on bail on May 02 over the alleged misuse of a computer and a mobile phone valued at over Rs. 470,000 during his tenure as the Acting Director of the National Lotteries Board.

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Electricity (Amendment) Bill challenged

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The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, which was recently tabled in Parliament, has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court today (June 02) ordered that the petition filed by the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union requesting a ruling that certain provisions of the Electricity Bill are unconstitutional be taken up for hearing on June 06.

The order was issued when the petition was taken up before a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Arjuna Obeyesekere and Priyantha Fernando.

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