The province capital’s air quality has been rated as very unhealthy for its residents. Smog has blanketed the entire city once again, making Lahore one of the most polluted cities in the world, with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 246.
According to data, the provincial capital is the world’s third most polluted city, behind Dehli, India, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
On Monday, the highest levels of pollution were recorded in the Model Town, Johar Town, Green Town, and Cantonment sectors.
As a result of the city’s high level of pollution, complaints of respiratory ailments, as well as throat and eye infections, are on the rise. Citizens should avoid needless visits to open spaces and wear face masks and protective glasses, according to medical professionals.
During a press conference on Monday, Punjab Minister for Environmental Protection Muhammad Rizwan said that the public has to realize that smog is a type of air pollution that emits toxins into the atmosphere. Smog is caused by a combination of fog:
- The transportation sector accounts for 43% of pollution.
- Industry emissions account for 25%.
- Trash and solid waste burning account for 20%.
The burning of crop leftovers on a large scale in India exacerbates the pollution problem in Punjab, particularly around Lahore. He stated that the department has established special smog committees at the district level, as well as ensuring the development of smog squads inside the department.
On a daily basis, brick kilns and industrial units are monitored, and fines are imposed for polluting industrial operations that are not sealed.
Violators are penalized and an FIR is filed against them if they do not follow the department’s directions. According to the provincial minister, the department, in collaboration with the traffic police, has been conducting various operations and imposing fines in order to limit traffic pollution.
In air pollutants units, pollution control devices are being implemented. According to the minister, a pilot project in Lahore has been launched in conjunction with SPARCO to develop several types of environmental models to address the fundamental causes of pollution.
At the Quaid-i-Azam Educational Development Academy, the province minister presided over a meeting of the 4th cabinet sub-committee on pollution. The chair kept track of how far all concerned departments had progressed in their efforts to prevent and control SMOG since the previous meeting.
The chair was briefed by a representative from the district administration, who stated that five antismog squads have been established, which include:
- LESCO.
- WAPDA.
- Transport police,
- Building control.
- Representative of EPD.
EPD and PDMA helpline numbers have been made public. A representative from the Ministry of Transportation explained that a proposal to change the laws governing the inspection of commercial and private cars has been sent to the Cabinet.
