Punjab Launches 'Chamkta Lahore' Campaign to Curb Smog and Improve Urban Cleanliness
The Punjab government has kicked off a major cleanliness and anti-smog drive in Lahore, targeting 100 key roads and markets with mechanical washing and misting equipment to cut airborne dust.
The Punjab government has launched a new cleanliness and anti-smog initiative, titled "Chamkta Lahore," aimed at reducing airborne dust, improving sanitation and keeping roads and public spaces clean across the provincial capital. The campaign was inaugurated by Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique at Liberty Chowk, acting on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Under the programme, authorities have identified 100 major roads, locations and commercial markets for targeted cleaning operations. The government plans to wash approximately 648 kilometres of roads every week, with a daily target of about 100 kilometres. The effort is intended to keep dust levels down in a city that has faced recurring winter smog in recent years.
To carry out the work, the campaign will deploy 16 mechanical road-washing machines along with 46 rickshaw-mounted washers dedicated to cleaning footpaths. In addition, 10 rickshaw-mounted anti-smog mist guns will spray water into the air to suppress dust particles and help improve local air quality.
Speaking to the media, Rafique said the government's anti-smog measures over the past two years had produced encouraging results, claiming that smog levels in November were noticeably lower than those recorded two years earlier. He expressed confidence that the new campaign would further improve air quality and cleanliness across Lahore.
The minister also pointed to ongoing development projects in Punjab, including road infrastructure, healthcare, education and urban beautification. He said these initiatives were being implemented from major cities down to union councils, with the aim of improving public facilities and the overall quality of life.
The launch of Chamkta Lahore adds to a broader push by the provincial government to address environmental and civic issues in the province's largest city. Details on the campaign's budget, timeline and monitoring mechanisms were not immediately available.
