- People found complaining about irritation of eyes and respiratory problems
- Cross-boundary emission of air pollutants, operation of steel mills, less downpour and unabated construction work are reasons behind the smog
A dense blanket of smog made the citizens of Lahore suffer with eye irritation and respiratory problems all over the day on Wednesday.
This hazardous situation was observed for the first time in Lahore where everyone was found complaining about his eyes burning and respiratory problems.
Similar foggy situation was observed in nearby districts of Lahore while the motorway section of Lahore to Islamabad also had low visibility, but no complaint of eyes burning and respiratory issues were brought about.
For the last few days, a foggy weather prevailed in the city along with the other cities of Punjab, but nobody was aware about what they observed yesterday. Ever since the residents started waking up, they started complaining about the smog in the air.
Over the years, Beijing and New Delhi were considered Asia’s more polluted cities; unfortunately, the recent smog added Lahore among them, where people were directed to use masks to avoid respiratory problems.
Till afternoon, this foggy situation was the talk of the town, while it also became the top trend on twitter where people posted their comments, pictures and videos of the situation they were experiencing.
Most of the citizens found enquiring about the unusual situation they were facing. Many people contacted media offices and asked the reason behind the dense smog in the city.
Abubakar, a citizen, told this scribe that he was suffering with irritation in eyes ever since he woke up, while he was also having problem breathing. “I had never experienced such a devastating situation throughout my life,” he said, adding it was similar to tear gas.
A senior journalist Allama Siddique Azhar said that he was experiencing this for the first time in his life. He was of the view that the situation was due to unabated construction work being carried out in the city for the last many years.
Former Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) director general meteorologist Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhary told Pakistan Today that extended dry weather was the basic cause of the current smog, which engulfed Lahore and other parts of the city. He believed that the one of the biggest factors behind this smog are excessive smoke emanating from coal and thermal plants being run in the Indian part of Punjab. “Recently, farmers in India near the Lahore border had excessively burnt the residues of rice crops, which also added to the smog in that area and Lahore,” he informed.
Qamar added that since August, most of the parts in Punjab, particularly Lahore, have not received any downpour which made the situation worst. According to him, cross-boundary emission of air pollutants, steel mills operating in the city, less downpour and unabated construction works are the reasons behind the smog. He said the dense smog could disappear with rain, and there are no chances of rain in the next couple of days.
Environmentalist Rafay Alam, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that the current situation was due to extensive air pollutants in the city. “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which was responsible for maintaining the record of pollution level in the city, could not monitor the pollution in the Punjab which made the situation worst,” he said, adding that EPA has to inform the government about what was going to happen due to pollution, so that people can take pre-emptive measure to avoid health risks.
Rafay cited China as an example where EPA informed the government prior to the upcoming pollution level in the country. “In such circumstances, schools are directed to shut down while other public offices should act on the guidelines provided by the government,” he added.
Punjab University Environmental College Principal Dr Sajid Rashid, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that vehicular pollution, industrial emissions and dust as a result of heavy construction work are the causes of this smog. He said that smog is not a new phenomenon, but this early, unusual smog is experienced for the first time, where people were complaining of eye problems and respiratory issues.
Answering a question, he said this was the prime duty of EPA Punjab to inform about the pollution level in the city; unfortunately, it has no record of air pollutants which can lead to a devastating situation.
Rashid said that burning of eyes and respiratory issues clears that it has been added with toxic chemicals like Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxides, Carbon Dioxides and other pollutants. He was also of the view that the air pollutants coming from India have added to this situation. “We have observed through satellite images that areas near Lahore border in Indian side have been covered with thick smog,” he informed.
Medics have suggested citizens to avoid roaming outdoors without wearing optics while they also suggested using a mask.
Dr Abdul Rauf, a senior ENT specialist, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that in such smoggy weather, a citizen must take care of their babies because this may lead to asthma, eye and throat irritation. He suggested washing eyes repeatedly, using a moist towel and avoid running and exercising in open air. He was unable to comment about the toxic substances in this smog, as this was unusual.
It is pertinent to mention here that smog is a portmanteau word, a combination of smoke and fog. The atmospheric pollutants or gases that form smog are released in the air when fuels are burnt. When sunlight and its heat react with these gases and fine particles in the atmosphere, smog is formed. It is purely caused by air pollution.
-CM takes notice of dense smog-
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the dense smog in the parts of Punjab, especially Lahore.
According to a notification available with Pakistan Today, the CM formed a special committee to examine the current weather conditions and the situation of dense smog in Lahore and other parts of the province.
The notification read that “The CM has constituted a committee to examine the prevailing weather condition of dense smog in the cities and plains of Punjab, which has inherent health hazards like breathing ailment and eye infections.”
This special committee is comprised of advisor to CM on health who will be the convener of the committee and will include the minister of environment, Punjab chief secretary, secretaries of HUD and PHE, LG and CD, SH&ME, environment protection, higher education, school education, transport, agriculture and information departments.
Moreover, additional IG of Traffic Punjab, King Edward Medical University vice chancellor, PDMA DG, Chief Meteorologist Lahore and two other environmentalists will also be a part of the committee.
As per the notification, this committee had been directed to meet immediately and come up with a ‘contingency plan’, including measures to save school going children, minimising the risk of traffic accidents and creating mass awareness about the precautionary measures. The committee shall present its first set of recommendations to CM today.