
Rs10,000 fine for washing cars at home as Punjab enforces stringent measures
As part of the initiative, a fine of Rs10,000 has been imposed on the washing of vehicles at homes and the use of pipes for non-essential purposes. Additionally, immediate action has been ordered against illegal service stations.
A special committee, consisting of Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Secretary of Environment Raja Jahangir, and Director General of Environmental Protection, Imran Hamed Sheikh, has been formed to ensure the implementation of the Lahore High Court's directives.
According to DG Imran Hamed Sheikh, all service stations across Punjab have been instructed to install water recycling systems by February 28. Service stations failing to comply with this directive will face a fine of Rs100,000.
New regulations also prohibit the washing of vehicles with oil-based substances and the use of groundwater at construction sites. These measures have been enforced under the Punjab Environmental Act with immediate effect.
The Environmental Department highlighted that over the past five years, Punjab has experienced a 42% decrease in rainfall, leading to a severe water shortage. These steps are aimed at addressing the growing concerns surrounding water conservation.
The department has urged citizens to comply with these regulations and avoid the unnecessary use of water. Strict legal actions will be taken against those found violating these directives.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
16 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PM, COAS briefed about rescue, relief operations in KP
BUNER: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday inspected the flood-hit districts of Buner, Swat, Shangla and Swabi in north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, one of the worst-affected areas in the ongoing monsoon season, where at least 228 people have died since last Friday out of 377 reported across the province. He was accompanied by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir and federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal and Amir Muqam while taking an aerial view of the devastation caused by torrential rains and flash floods. During the visit, the prime minister met with families affected by the disaster in Buner, offering condolence to those who lost loved ones and distributing relief cheques among survivors. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that no illegal constructions or encroachments be allowed along river banks to mitigate the losses during natural calamities. 'Every eye in Pakistan is in tears over this tragedy. More than 350 lives have been lost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, and over 700 nationwide,' he said, urging unity and patience in the face of the calamity. He added that clouds burst and took the form of an intense flood that carried boulders with it. He assured victims that the federal government will provide all possible assistance without distinction between provincial or district infrastructure. 'Pakistan is one home with four provinces; we are facing this challenge along with the chief minister of KP. We will mobilise every resource to restore roads, power, and communication networks,' he added. 'For a week, we will provide electricity everywhere, while feeders are being restored immediately,' he said further. During the visit, PM Shehbaz criticised illegal encroachments, hotels built on riverbeds and unchecked mining activities that worsened the scale of destruction. 'There is no forgiveness for human negligence. Building hotels and houses in rivers is a man-made disaster. We will launch a movement to stop such construction around drains and waterways,' he announced. PM Shehbaz highlighted that ministers of power and communications were already present in affected districts and GB to restore electricity and repair roads. He also warned that two more monsoon spells are expected, urging preventive measures. He expressed gratitude to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and his government, the chief secretary, and the police chief. 'Field Marshal Asim Munir is working day and night to fix the economy.' 'We faced a similar crisis in 2022. Millions of acres of crops were destroyed in Sindh. At that time, the federation allocated Rs100 billion to provinces in addition to the relief funds. But this time we must ensure human responsibility is fulfilled alongside divine will. Pakistan has limited resources, but united efforts will help us overcome this challenge,' PM Shehbaz said. The Prime Minister also drew attention to the timber mafia and illegal mining and crushing activities especially in waterways which contribute greatly towards loss of lives and damages. He directed that Pakistan must act as a hard state where no one is above law and necessary actions be taken against defaulters without distinction. The Prime Minister said he has issued special instructions to relevant federal authorities to overlook jurisdictional hitches when repairing the damaged road and communication infrastructure in any province. He said we have to join hands with the provincial governments for the rehabilitation of the people. Appreciating the tireless dedication of the Armed Forces and civil administration, the Prime Minister reaffirmed solidarity with the flood-affected population and assured them of all possible assistance. He emphasised that every available national resource will be mobilized to accelerate recovery efforts and restore normalcy in the affected areas. The prime minister said that Pakistan was among the 10 worst-affected countries by the impacts of climate change.


Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Senate panel grills WAPDA on dam woes
The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources on Wednesday voiced serious concern over decades-old pending legal disputes, land cases worth trillions of rupees, and the closure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. The committee, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, reviewed compliance reports on audit paras of WAPDA and noted that some legal cases had been pending for as long as 21 years. "WAPDA has not paid attention to these cases for the last sixteen years," Senator Awan remarked, pointing out that land worth Rs10 billion was under WAPDA's occupation, while cases exceeding Rs298 billion — mainly linked to Mangla Dam — remained unresolved in courts. The committee chairman also raised alarm over the controversial Rs30 billion Nai Gaj Dam contract, which is under investigation by NAB. Senator Awan directed the WAPDA chairman to convene an urgent meeting and present a progress report on all audit-related cases. Senator Faisal Rahman criticised WAPDA's legal team for its "failure to make headway" on long-pending disputes. In response, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed, who took office only ten days ago, said he had already convened three meetings to address the issues. "WAPDA has many cases for which there is no record, but we are trying to reduce the backlog." Saeed admitted that WAPDA's records were not digitised but assured that efforts were underway for the purpose. He added that compensation had already been paid to Mangla Dam affectees, though they were still pursuing cases in court. Officials informed the committee that six cases were currently under NAB scrutiny, including two each related to the Kachhi Canal and Nai Gaj Dam projects. However, the Ministry of Water Resources secretary clarified that these were references against individuals, not WAPDA. The committee chairman summoned NAB and FIA officials to its next meeting and directed WAPDA and water ministry to present comprehensive details of all ongoing cases. "It is our job to enquire," Senator Awan said. The closure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project also came under discussion after the collapse of its head-rise tunnel. Officials said the project had earlier faced a tail-rise tunnel collapse that was repaired, allowing operations for nine months before the latest breakdown. Senator Awan, however, deferred the detailed discussion, noting that a committee formed by the prime minister was already probing the matter. "We should wait for the inquiry report before further discussion." The committee recommended that WAPDA's legal team immediately coordinate with the auditor general and the law ministry to resolve audit-related cases from 2015-16 and submit a detailed report on all criminal and PAC-related cases at the next sitting.


Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir visit flood-hit K-P, assure full support to victims
PM Shehbaz, COAS during briefing on the ongoing rescue and relief operations in K-P on August 20. Photo: PID Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday visited flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner, Shangla and Swabi, pledging that every available national resource would be mobilised to accelerate recovery and restore normalcy. According to the Prime Minister's Office, prime minister and field marshal received a comprehensive briefing on rescue and relief operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Federal ministers and senior officials also joined the visit. The Prime Minister and COAS received a comprehensive briefing on the ongoing rescue and relief operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 20, 2025 During their interaction with survivors, Shehbaz assured victims of the federal government's and Pakistan Army's unwavering support. 'We will extend maximum assistance in this critical hour,' he said, while appreciating the 'tireless dedication' of the armed forces and civil administration. Premier also drew attention towards illegal encroachments, timber smuggling and mining in worsening the disaster. He stressed that Pakistan 'must act as a hard state where no one is above the law' and directed action against violators. PM said more than 350 people had been killed in K-P alone, while nationwide casualties exceeded 700. The prime minister disbursed relief cheques among victims and announced seven days of free electricity for affected households. He also ordered immediate repair of damaged road infrastructure, regardless of whether it fell under provincial or federal jurisdiction. براہِ راست: وزیرِاعظم کی ضلع بونیر میں حالیہ بارشوں و سیلاب کے متاثرین سے ملاقات — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 20, 2025 'Hotels and houses built on waterways increase the impact of floods,' Shehbaz warned, calling for stricter policies to prevent illegal construction and protect natural water channels. He also urged the preservation of forests, noting that deforestation was a factor behind destructive cloudbursts. Recalling the 2022 floods, Shehbaz said hundreds of thousands of acres of crops were destroyed and homes washed away in Sindh, prompting Rs100 billion in federal aid. 'Today, with the support of all stakeholders, the government is fully committed to facing this new challenge,' he said. The prime minister stressed that there should be no politics in times of crisis. He praised K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin, the armed forces and civil administration for their relief efforts. He also lauded the support of Field Marshal Munir, 'under whose cooperation the government is striving to stabilise the economy.' Pakistan ranks among the world's 10 most climate-vulnerable countries, Shehbaz noted, adding that climate change, deforestation and unchecked development have amplified the scale of natural disasters. COAS interacted with troops, police and civil administration personnel involved in rescue efforts, lauding their selfless commitment in assisting victims of floods and torrential rains. — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 20, 2025 Field Marshal Asim Munir also interacted with troops, police and civil personnel engaged in relief efforts, commending their 'selfless commitment' and directing formations to 'spare no effort in alleviating the hardships of flood-stricken families.'