LAHORE     -   The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday expressed serious concern over traffic jams in various parts of the provin­cial metropolis due to agita­tion and directed traffic po­lice to develop a policy to address the issue. Justice Sha­hid Karim passed the orders while hearing identical peti­tions filed by Haroon Farooq and others seeking directions to curb the smog. During the proceedings, Justice Shahid Karim expressed serious con­cern over traffic jams in var­ious parts of the city due to agitation, adding that he re­mained stuck in a traffic jam for one and a half hours on the Canal road due to agita­tion.

At this stage, a depu­ty superintendent of police (Traffic) apprised the court that the trend of agitation at the Canal road was grow­ing and it was causing diffi­culties. However, traffic po­lice faced less difficulties due to agitation on Mall road, he added. The court remarked that 45 per cent smog was caused by smoke of the vehi­cles and directed traffic po­lice to make arrangements to maintain smooth flow of the traffic in the provincial me­tropolis.

The court also di­rected for sensitizing traffic officials about their respon­sibilities. The court grant­ed an opportunity to Pun­jab Disaster Management Authority director general for making teams of the vol­unteers to speed up action against the smoke emitting factories, besides directing to develop an App about the pollution. The court also re­jected a draft summary sub­mitted by the Environment Department while express­ing reservations on giving powers of demolishing brick kilns to inspectors.