LAHORE: Various health and environmental experts have stated that exposure to smog was playing a role in spreading of various health issues, including eye infections, allergies, coughing and irritation in throat all across the province.
Highly apprehensive about the effects of smog which was resulting in air impurities and pollutants that could be hazardous to a human health, the experts outlined the preventative measures that could be helpful in dealing with the current weather phenomenon.
Services Hospital’s Dr Khalid Hussain advised people to move around with face masks to protect themselves from breathing problems, eye, nose and throat infections.
He added that wearing protected sunglasses outdoors could be helpful and to thwart augmented allergy and any sort of eye infection rubbing eyes should be avoided. He also recommended frequent use of eye drops suggested by eye-specialists.
Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water every day and including hot fluids to the daily routine that would help to rinse out the toxins was also beneficial in curing cough and sore throat, the doctor stated.
Jinnah Hospital’s Dr Tehseen Riaz also highlighted the presence of toxins in the air and stated that such conditions could aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms, leaving people struggling to breathe.
The doctor further recommended that other precautions, including sanitising indoor air using air filters and avoiding outdoor physical activities such as walking or exercising near smoggy and hazy areas should also be adopted to stay safe in the persistent smog.
Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Riaz attributed the worsening smog situation in the cities to lack of rain, pollution, and smoke emission from various sources.
Punjab’s Department of Environment Director Naseem-ur-Rehman stated that a number of administrative preventative measures had been adopted to deal with smog.
He said that Section 144 had been enforced in the province till December 16 to bar farmers from burning leftover crops waste. He further added that First Information Reports (FIR) will be registered against violators of the law.
According to climate change expert, Dr Mehmood Khalid Qamar, fresh readings about toxic gases, obtained through the recently installed monitoring equipment showed the level of carbon monoxide at 21.29 milligram per metre (mpm) on The Mall, 17.52 in Mohlanwal, and 6.94 in Gulberg’s Liberty Market.
The situation looks particularly bleak if the carbon monoxide levels are compared against the maximum permissible limit of 5 mpm.
Meanwhile, motorway police have issued instructions to drivers to reduce speed and switch on fog lights to avoid any untoward incident.
Smog disturbs flight schedule in Multan: Smog continued to disturb arrival and departure schedule of flights at the local airport causing inconvenience to passengers.
Almost 10-12 flights scheduled for Saturday were either delayed or cancelled. Two international flights from Multan to Jeddah and Jeddah to Multan were also cancelled.
A flight inquiry official said that rush of passengers started easing after the arrival of three flights at the local airport.
Meteorological office Multan official said that the smog is expected to be cleared by Monday.
