Lahore (Urdu Times) Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz trying to overcome smog challenges
……. (Asghar Ali Mubarak)…
The Chief Minister Punjab Pakistan Maryam Nawaz is committed and determined to overcome the challenges of smog along with
promoting health in Punjab.
In this regard, she has issued special instructions to all concerned departments and commissioners.
But people also need to strictly follow the instructions. In this regard, there is a need for immediate action in Rawalpindi, otherwise the situation will be like Lahore.
The Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced to write a letter to the CM of Indian Punjab for joint efforts to eliminate smog.
She said at the Diwali function that smog is not a political but a human problem. If working to eliminate smog, there should be a matching response from the Indian site.
The toxic winds of smog know no middle line – the environmental damage is coming from both sides. Unless both sides take joint measures, Punjab cannot fight smog.
Meanwhile, declaring smog as a disaster under Section 3 of the Punjab National Climate Act 1958, the provincial government has delegated the powers of relief commissioners to all the deputy commissioners across the province. The commissioners will be authorized to take necessary measures to control smog.
The Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz says that everyone has to play a role to eliminate smog. It will take time to solve this problem while Indian Punjab also has to take action to remedy smog, she added.
The Chief Minister of Punjab while addressing the ceremony of distribution of agricultural implements to farmers in Kala Shah Kaku said that everyone has to play a role to eliminate smog, because of Indian Punjab, smog has increased in our country, Indian Punjab also has to take action to remedy smog, she said that farmers are very close to my heart, the path of development of Punjab passes through the field By the way, every year along with the winter, the upper and central parts of the country are engulfed in heavy fog, but this problem is getting serious with every passing year. Produces smog.
The series of ‘smog’ or polluted fog that started in different cities of Punjab province continues due to which many accidents have also
occurred.
In most areas of the province, including Lahore, the system of life has been badly affected, while the citizens are also facing severe breathing problems and many people have suffered from various diseases. It has been attributed to the decrease in air pressure and atmospheric humidity and it says that this process will continue in the same way for the next few days.
Some reports have come out according to which the reason for this climatic condition is the smoke coming out from the construction work and industries in Lahore, due to which this situation has arisen.
Some people are also citing the burning of crops in the plains of Pakistan and India. Crop burning happens every year. This pollution is spreading from India, so we should also remember that other cities of Pakistan already have dangerously high levels of environmental pollution.
And in the past too, there have been reports in which attention has been drawn to this side. If any pollution is coming to Pakistan from India, then we need to pay attention to it too. In a 2014 World Health Organization report, Lahore, In Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, it was reported that the pollution situation there was very dangerous due to the construction works there as well as the smoke emitted from the industries.
Government of Punjab should pay attention to make a policy on environmental issues, as in India and China, steps are taken in such a situation.
We also have to take care so that people can be protected from its harm, as well as create awareness among the public about what precautions they should take in such situations.
Department of Environment Protection Punjab has issued an alert of increase in smog in Lahore. According to the alert issued by the Secretary Environment Protection Punjab, there is a possibility of increasing the air quality index of Lahore due to the frequent burning of crop residues in neighboring India.
The alert states that polluted easterly winds may increase the air quality index of Lahu abnormally, at the moment the wind speed is 4 km
per hour.
It may be noted that the air pollution in Lahore was 80 times more than the acceptable level specified by the World Health Organization (WHO) while an official described the level as a record high for the city.
The Department of Environment had said that the air pollution in Lahore has crossed the extreme limit, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has increased to over 1000 while the intensity of smog will continue for the next 48 hours.
By 9 am, the air quality index (air quality in the atmosphere) had reached 1,067, while by 11 am, the AQI had reached 700, and Lahore continued to top the world in air pollution.
According to the spokesperson of the Department of Environment, the heavy smoke from the burning of crop residues in India has entered Pakistan and the strong winds coming from India have raised the air pollution index in Lahore to 1000.
The level of deadly pollution (PM2.5) reached 1,067 in the morning while the level was around 300, while levels above 10 are considered unhealthy by the WHO. These include fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3).
An AQI of over 100 is considered ‘unhealthy’ while over 150 is considered ‘very unhealthy’. The average level of smog in the city has increased to an alarming level, the air quality index of the city has reached 709, and the air quality index of the DHA region has reached 1319.
Due to the polluted air coming from India, the air of the city has become extremely unhealthy, while the air quality index has also been more than 1000. The Punjab government had issued an alert that excessive burning of crop residues in India could cause an abnormal increase in Lahore’s air quality index.
In India, the smoke and air of burnt crops and garbage are reaching Lahore. Due to the strong winds coming from the neighboring country, Lahore ranked first in the air pollution index. Two Indian cities, Delhi and Calcutta, are ranked second and third respectively.
Deep black clouds of smoke from the Indian cities of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Bathinda, Karnal, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Attari are coming to Pakistani areas in the form of strong winds and squalls. Lahore is the most affected by these winds driven by India. Being affected, the smog situation in the provincial capital has become more complicated. Violations of smog SOPs are underway in Punjab.
607 suspects have been arrested for setting fire to crop residues and other places.
24 people were arrested and 17 cases were registered in the smog-related crackdown.
In the month of October, 1,344 polluting vehicles were stopped, 2,397 challans were issued and fines of Rs.1 crore were imposed, while two drivers were also arrested.
IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar while ordering speedy anti-smog crackdown on highways, industrial areas and other places, said that actions should be taken against vehicles emitting excessive smoke by monitoring Safe City cameras.
He said that zero-tolerance action should be taken against factory and kiln owners guilty of burning crop residue, garbage and breaking the law.
