Lahore chokes on ‘unhealthy’ air once again

CM says cutting of hundreds of trees by previous govt leading cause of smog

LAHORE: Following little respite on Sunday, atmospheric pollution once again surpassed the ‘unhealthy’ level. The Air Quality Index (AQI) measured over 156 in the provincial capital on Monday.

Data of international air quality monitoring agency, AirVisual, shows that atmospheric particulate pollution level once again surpassed the safe range. AirVisual’s monitors indicate atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) reading of over 65 µg/m³, which means that Lahore’s air is contaminated with very fine particles of dust and other harmful elements of less than 2.5 micrometres.

These PM2.5 particles have a tendency to stay in the air longer due to their small size and lightweight. This increases the chances of humans and animals inhaling them because particles of such a small diameter can bypass the nose and throat to penetrate deep into the lungs. Some may even enter the circulatory system.

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Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, in a press statement on Monday, blamed the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regime for the current smog issue. He said the merciless cutting of hundreds of trees in Lahore was one of the major causes of smog. “It was the result of past rulers’ wrong priorities,” he said.

He highlighted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to getting rid of environmental pollution. “The incumbent government is successfully implementing the Clean and Green Pakistan programme to promote a green environment in the country.”

The CM said various steps have been taken to protect the environment and increase forest cover over Punjab. “A comprehensive strategy has been formulated to deal with the hazardous effects of climate change and new programmes will be initiated to improve the environment,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader Moonis Elahi proposed that the government include the subject of the environment in the academic syllabus and educate the coming generations on the hazards of environmental pollution and climate change. He highlighted that according to various studies, the majority of Pakistani nations is unaware of the impact of climate change and environmental pollution.

Addressing Punjab Eco Friends Environment Policy Workshop, PML’s Research and Conveying Wing Team Leader Rizwan Mumtaz Ali announced that his party held Punjab’s first environment policy convention in December. He added representatives from PML and eco-friends from all over the province would be nominated.

The workshop was attended by representatives of PML Punjab’s Youth Wing, Women Wing, MSF and Eco Friends of Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Lahore.

Addressing workshop Eco Friends of Gujranwala appreciated pilot model for providing environmental education and training to students of schools, colleges, universities and religious seminaries in its own district.

As of November 2019, Pakistani authorities still don’t publish any real-time PM2.5 air quality data. All data comes from non-government sensors and the U.S. State Department. The US Embassy in Islamabad, and the three US consulates in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar began monitoring and publishing real-time PM2.5 data online in the first half of 2019.

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Environment experts have warned that these PM2.5 particles have tendency to stay longer in the air due to their small size and light nature, which increase chances of humans and animals inhaling them into their bodies because these particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres are able to bypass nose and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs and some may even enter the circulatory system.

Atmospheric pollution level in the city remained so high during the current month that the government closed private and public schools thrice during the current month as smog level touched hazardous range.

Lahore topped twice on the most polluted cities ranking during the current month. However, atmospheric pollution level has witnessed a decrease following rain and strict enforcement of environmental laws.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2019.