Hazardous smog blankets Rawalpindi

Orders issued to crack down on smoke-emitting units and vehicles

RAWALPINDI:

Hazardous smog has once again blanketed Rawalpindi, causing eye, nose and throat irritations and aggravating pulmonary diseases.

The Punjab Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued an alert of high-risk smog entering Pakistan from India, ordering the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to intensify operations against smoke-emitting vehicles, factories and crushing units.

The EPA said that the most dangerous type of smog from India was entering Punjab due to strong winds, which have started to affect the air quality in the province including in Rawalpindi.

According to official sources, air pollution has soared to a dangerous level in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other districts of Punjab.

Currently, the air pollution index in Islamabad has jumped to 152, 154 in Rawalpindi, 110 in Murree, 112 in Chakwal and 112 in Attock. An air pollution index of more than 150 is considered alarmingly high.

According to sources, the Regional Transport Authority staff impounded 72 smoke-emitting vehicles across the Rawalpindi district. The EPA sealed 11 smoke-emitting brick kilns and nine crushing units. At least six persons were also booked for setting garbage on fire in different areas.

They also said the agriculture department registered cases against eight farmers for setting fire to the residue of crops in the suburbs of the garrison city.

According to the meteorological department, air pollution is likely to improve after the expected rain from Friday to Sunday.

District administration officials said that like in previous years, there is a risk that the garrison city will be under attack by severe smog this year as well.

The district administration has formed special anti-smog squads to monitor smoke-emitting brick kilns, factories and vehicles across the district. The anti-smog squads have been tasked to monitor the proper disposal of waste from hospitals and a complete ban will be imposed on the burning of plastic waste of any kind throughout the district.

Separate counters have been be set up in all three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi for checking patients suffering from smog and pollution as it harms the health of citizens and can lead to serious lung, heart and brain-related illnesses.

The Regional Transport Authority is working with the city traffic police and motorway police to take action against smoke-emitting vehicles.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2022.