Smog battle to rely on air quality forecasts

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has launched an air quality forecast system to help curb pollution in the province.

According to a statement, the country's first state-of-the-art system will forecast weather conditions and pollution levels, providing assistance in reducing air pollution in major cities. Weekly public reports will also be issued.

Senior Provincial Minister Mariyyum Aurangzeb said at the inauguration of the system that it combined real-time monitoring with advanced scientific models and would be integrated with international platforms and European forecast facilities. It will function in line with global air quality indices while catering to local requirements.

Data from air quality monitoring stations installed earlier this year will also feed into the system.

Currently, 41 monitoring stations are operational across Punjab, with plans to expand the number to 100 in the coming months.

The system will not only measure pollution levels and record weather conditions but also provide citizens health protection advisories.

The senior minister said the system is part of the provincial government plan to curb smog, which includes strict action against crop residue burning, measures to reduce vehicular and industrial emissions, and stronger enforcement of environmental regulations.

She urged citizens to cooperate with the government's efforts to combat pollution.

She said that during smog episodes, children, the elderly, and patients with respiratory illnesses should take extra precautions and avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.

Meanwhile, authorities in Lahore intensified efforts to curb smog as the city continues to rank among the most polluted urban centre in the world, with fine particulate matter concentrations nearly eight times higher than World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

The US Air Quality Index (AQI) placed Lahore on Friday at a level considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups".

Forecasters predict deterioration in the coming days, with the AQI readings expected to rise to over 15, which falls in the "unhealthy" category.

On the global scale, Lahore ranked fifth among cities with the poorest air quality. The primary pollutant remains PM2.5 microscopic particles.

Amid mounting public concern regarding the issue, the environment department and district administration organised a smog awareness walk that began at Kalma Chowk and concluded at Liberty Chowk.

Lahore Commissioner Marryam Khan said on the occasion that the walk was the beginning of a campaign designed to take awareness about the issue to every neighbourhood. "Citizens and the administration must work together to reduce smog. Both have equal responsibilities," she added.

She outlined a series of strict enforcement measures, including a crackdown on smoke-emitting and unfit vehicles from October 15.

The environment department has been tasked with seizing unfit loader vehicles, while a ban has been imposed on the entry of defective trolleys carrying sand and soil into the city.

Traffic chokepoints are being identified to ease congestion, and interventions are being planned to improve flow.

All pyrolysis plants in Lahore division have been demolished, and e-mapping of kilns and industries has been completed.

According to the commissioner, all 556 brick kilns operating in the division have been converted to zigzag technology.

She warned that any kiln found violating the standard would be demolished.