Lahore, the provincial metropolis, found itself in an alarming position as the 5th most polluted city globally on a recent Sunday, highlighting the critical issue of air quality in the region. Despite cold winds in the early morning and bright sunshine, the city’s air quality remained compromised, with a recorded temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Department predicts that the weather is likely to remain dry and polluted in the next 24 hours, with a maximum temperature expected to reach 21 degrees Celsius. The humidity stands at a high 90 percent, and a 5 km/h wind offers little relief. Unfortunately, there is no anticipated rainfall in the near future.
Lahore’s air quality index, a comprehensive measure of pollutants, stands at 192, solidifying its position as the 5th most polluted city globally. In response to this dire situation, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa has taken decisive action against violations of anti-smog orders. Various trash-burning furnaces using outdated technology have been dismantled, and others have been extinguished.
The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has initiated several measures to combat smog. Among them, “weather generators” designed to dissolve smog in a 10 square kilometer area have been installed in Lahore. EPD Director Naseem-Ur-Rehman Shah emphasized the success of similar generators in Russia and Dubai, highlighting their potential in mitigating pollution.
In addition to deploying generators, the EPD is actively sealing off smoky units in the city and imposing hefty fines on factories and units responsible for contributing to smog. Director Shah stressed the importance of reducing harmful gas emissions and adopting modern technology to combat air pollution. He mentioned that short and medium-term projects are underway to address this urgent environmental concern.
As Lahore grapples with its alarming air quality ranking, the concerted efforts of authorities and environmental initiatives become crucial in ensuring the well-being of its residents and the broader global environment.
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