Suffocating smog

Punjab’s work-from-home policy addresses Lahore's air pollution, but long-term solutions remain crucial.

The government of Punjab has implemented a work-from-home policy across multiple districts in the province, including Lahore, and shut schools. Students will continue their learning from home and take online classes. Similarly, private and government office workers would also stay at home. The dense haze that often blankets the city reduces visibility, exacerbates respiratory conditions and places vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions at significant risk. Although necessary to protect public health, this unprecedented move underscores the urgent need for a long-term approach to combat Lahore's growing air pollution problem. Near the border with India, Lahore regularly registers among the world's most polluted cities.

The popular narrative holds crop residue burning, on both sides of the border, responsible for smog. However, a report by the Punjab Urban Unit states that the practice only contributes 3.9 per cent, with vehicle emissions primarily responsible for unhealthy air quality, contributing around 83.15 per cent. To tackle the issue, the government needs to adopt a more comprehensive strategy. Stricter regulations on vehicular emissions are needed. The provincial capital's traffic congestion, coupled with older, fuel-inefficient vehicles is a significant contributor. The government should ideally incentivise the replacement of outdated vehicles and enforce even stricter emission standards for industries. A lot more attention also needs to be paid to better the public transport infrastructure to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. While projects such as the Orange Line train are good for optics, they do little to reduce emissions due to their limited routes and availability.

While the current measures may provide temporary relief, the city will continue to suffer from unhealthy air quality if long-term measures are not adopted.