# Lahore Smog Cracks Down on Crop Fires

> Punjab launches rapid-response teams to stop crop residue fires amid Lahore smog crisis.
- Title: Lahore Smog Cracks Down on Crop Fires · Daily Times | Shortify
- Summary: Punjab launches rapid-response teams to stop crop residue fires amid Lahore smog crisis.
- Keywords: lahore smog, crop residue fires, punjab pollution squad, stubble burning, air pollution in pakistan, smog, hazardous smog, pakistan, Daily Times
- Source: Daily Times — https://dailytimes.com.pk/1581505/lahore-smog-prompts-crackdown-on-crop-residue-fires
- Author: Attia Naveed
- Published: 2026-11-14T17:15:53+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: lahore smog, crop residue fires, punjab pollution squad, stubble burning, air pollution in pakistan, smog, hazardous smog, pakistan, news
## Punjab Smog Response
Punjab authorities launched specialised rapid-response teams to tackle stubble burning amid worsening smog.
## Smog Crisis Details
Farmers burn leftover rice crops after October's harvest to clear fields but release smoke that combines with industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust.
## Rapid-Response Teams
The department established a 750-member force with 67 rapid-response units across major rice-producing districts.
## Fire Extinguishing Results
Officials extinguished 650 reported fires within 24 hours and received 679 reports of field fires this week.
## Fines and Penalties
Farmers caught burning crop residue face fines of Rs15,000 per acre with potential imprisonment for up to six months.
## Financial Support
The government distributed over 10,000 subsidised super seeders covering 60 percent of each machine's cost.
## Health Impact
October's smog-related throat hospitalisations reached 69 percent of October 2025 levels despite enforcement efforts.
## Key takeaway

Punjab authorities extinguished 650 crop fires in 24 hours using 750-member teams to reduce Lahore's smog pollution.