Lahore: People of Punjab face severe health and visibility problems as smog continues to cover parts of the province, including Lahore.
Visibility has plunged to 25 -50 meters from Lahore to Bhera, according to motorway officials as thick smog continues to pollute the air.
According to latest reports, as many as 12 people were injured in a traffic accident due to smog at Vehari.
The motorway police have issued instructions to drivers to reduce speed and switch on fog lights to avoid any unwanted incident.
Smog is air pollution that reduces visibility according to National Geographic. The term “smog” was first used in the early 1900s to describe a mix of smoke and fog. The smoke usually came from burning coal. Smog was common in industrial areas and remains a familiar sight in cities today.
Smog is a mixture of air pollutants—nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds—that combine with sunlight to form ozone, according to ThoughtCo. Ozone can be beneficial or harmful, good or bad, depending on its location. Ozone in the stratosphere, high above the Earth, acts as a barrier that protects human health and the environment from excessive amounts of solar ultraviolet radiation. This is the “good kind” of ozone. On the other hand, ground-level ozone, trapped near the ground by heat inversions or other weather conditions, is what causes the respiratory distress and burning eyes associated with smog.
Health experts recommend artificial tears for eyes as one way of dealing with smog. The public is also advised to adopt preventative measures such as avoiding the outdoors and using face masks when going out, especially young children, elderly and patients.