Smog and worsening air quality continues to plague Lahore with Diwali fireworks making the metropolis the second-most polluted city globally with an air quality index (AQI) of 266 “very unhealthy”, only surpassed by Indian Capital New Delhi whose AQI stands at 535 “hazardous” at around 8:40am, as per Swiss monitoring group IQAir.
The PM2.5 concentrations — floating particulate matter in the air measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less which can be absorbed into the bloodstream upon inhalation — stood at 187 µg/m³ which is 37.4 times the World Health Organisation annual PM2.5 guideline value.
Toxic smog has started shrouding parts of Punjab, while surging pollution has spurred authorities to curb activities, introduce various modern countermeasures, and set up a panel to oversee preventive efforts.
Lahore, the capital of the most populated province of Punjab, is just 25 km (16 miles) from the border with India, and is considered the cultural capital of the country. Experts predict that Lahore’s average AQI tomorrow could range between 210 and 240.
Meanwhile, Karachi also made it to the list as the sixth most polluted city with an AQI of 164 “unhealthy”.
The worsening air quality is expected to increase fog and smog across the city, with additional pollution drifting in from fireworks in various Indian cities during Diwali celebrations.
Efforts to improve air quality in Lahore remain largely limited. The Punjab government continues to implement scattered measures, including a joint operation by the Lahore Development Authority and WASA to conduct citywide water spraying.
Several parts of South Asia suffer pollution every winter as cold air traps pollutants, such as emissions, dust and smoke from burning on farms to clear the remnants of rice crops before wheat is planted.
‘Grand operations’
Meanwhile, Punjab’s first advanced Smog Monitoring and Control Centre, equipped with modern technology, is continuously collecting air quality data. Anti-smog guns are also being deployed at identified smog hotspots across Lahore in a bid to reduce particulate pollution.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday said that nine departments of the Punjab government were carrying out grand operations against smog as per the direction of the Punjab chief minister.
“Continuous efforts by the Punjab government and public cooperation helped to control the air quality index of the city.”
She said that the environmental protection force and the department were fully mobilised and all sectoral squads were present in the field, and that brick-kilns were being monitored through drones, besides issuing a live report.
The senior minister said that smog guns and air quality monitors were also present in the field, while for the first time in Punjab’s history, forecasting of the air quality index had enabled timely operations along with the government’s approach to control pollution levels.
“Modern technology, anti-smog machinery, timely data provision and inter-departmental coordination had kept air quality at controlled levels,” she added.
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated all officers and staff for their efforts. The minister said that the modern climatic data centre had pre-identified areas with high pollution levels for targeted action.
She further said that construction materials in open areas were promptly covered to prevent dust emissions.
Traffic police banned movement of trucks, freight vehicles and trolleys to control vehicular pollution, she said and added that traffic monitoring through Safe City cameras was ongoing, ensuring smooth flow.
Marriyum said that WASA, LDA, PHA, C&W and local administration began water sprinkling operations last night.
