Reducing smog is not possible without adopting a long-term policy, experts say

Lahore: Due to air pollution and smog, it is becoming difficult to breathe in the provincial capital Lahore. Lahore is among the 10 most polluted cities in the world where the Air Quality Index has been recorded at an alarming level of 400.

The caretaker provincial government has taken several short-term measures to reduce smog and protect citizens from its harmful effects, but experts believe that unless the government adopts a long-term policy in this regard, reduction in smog is not possible.

The Punjab Environment Protection Agency in Lahore shares daily air quality monitoring data from three locations, including Jail Road, Town Hall and Punjab University, while air quality rates are reported from 17 different locations, including the American Consulate, by private institutions.

Air quality statistics in Lahore from November 18 to 22 show that the highest air pollution is at Gulbarg, Polo Ground, Pakistan Engineering Services and Mall Road. According to experts, the main cause of pollution in these areas is the smoke emitted by transport vehicles. There is often traffic congestion in these areas.

According to the report of The Urban Unit, 83.15 percent of Lahore’s air pollution is from transport, in which the smoke from vehicles is the most important, the share of industry is 9.07 percent, agriculture is 3.9 percent, garbage is burned. Pollution is 3.6%, pollution from commercial activities is 0.14% and domestic pollution is 0.11%.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr. Salman Tariq, who serves in the Environmental Research Center and Laboratory of Punjab University, said that the air is made up of a mixture of different gases, including oxygen and nitrogen in addition to carbon dioxide, ozone, Many other minor substances such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide are also present.

When vehicles, motorcycles, rickshaws, buses or other means of transport start emitting smoke, there is smoke emission from factories and kilns, crop residues are being burnt, then the particulate matter in the air increases. And when they exceed a certain limit, they pollute the air. Air quality is assessed by examining the increasing proportion of these substances. The more these gases increase, the more the air will become polluted.

Dawar Butt, an expert on environment and public policy, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the air quality of Lahore remains unhealthy throughout the year, while the situation worsens in winter and the air pollution increases to dangerous levels.

He said that the lack of data and evidence regarding air quality and increasing air pollution are the reasons for the failure of Pakistan’s public policy. In winter, fireplaces and wood stoves add more smoke to the atmosphere, while vehicles with worn-out engines emit more carbon dioxide.

Davar Butt says that the main contributors to air pollution are transport, industries and power plants. All these three sectors use substandard fuel and this worsens the situation.

He said that during the hours of the day when the traffic is heavy, the AKI also increases, which proves that the air pollution can be reduced to a small extent by managing the traffic rush in a better way. Is.

Dawarbat says that the Smog Commission was established on the orders of the Lahore High Court, which after examining the causes of air pollution and smog, formulated long-term and short-term proposals. But most of the recommendations of the commission could not be implemented.

He says that the main cause of air pollution is transport and industry. The industry has to adopt modern machinery and upgrade technology and above all improve fuel quality. Euro Five and Six are being used in neighboring India, we also have to make it mandatory to use high quality fuel.

Apart from this, the use of old vehicles and diesel vehicles will have to be banned. Entry of big vehicles and vehicles emitting a lot of smoke should be stopped in certain zones of big cities including Lahore.

Dawar Butt also suggested that high-quality public transport should be promoted to reduce the trend of private transport. Public transport fares should be reduced during peak hours i.e. morning and evening hours, special discount cards should be issued for students and senior citizens. Public transport should be free or cheap on weekends to places of entertainment.

The Smog Commission had also suggested that public transport should be made compulsory for 75% of students in all educational institutions. Government should provide buses to colleges, universities and schools. Fees should be collected from students who use private vehicles. In big cities including Lahore, vehicles should be allowed to use on specific days according to their number plates.

Similarly, alternative sources of fuel should be used by discouraging the use of wood and coal at the domestic level. Farmers should be trained and facilitated to dispose of crop residues in other ways instead of burning, garbage should be disposed of by technical means instead of burning and above all, enforcement and regulation should be improved, there are laws but No enforcement capacity.

In order to deal with smog and protect the citizens from its harmful effects, the Punjab government has announced a holiday in a few other districts including Lahore on Saturday and Sunday, while artificial rain with the help of China is also being considered. Apart from this, it has been decided to establish a high-powered environmental commission to control smog, and it has been made mandatory for citizens to wear masks.

However, Aleem Butt, director of Asian Environmental Services, a private organization working on the environment in Lahore, says that health emergency, smart lockdown, fines to factories and kiln owners, closing of smoke-emitting vehicles, school holidays are all short-term measures. are

It certainly has its benefits but these measures are not a permanent solution. A long-term policy has to be adopted to tackle smog. Substandard fuel is being used in the industry. The burning of vehicle tires in factories and steel mills should be stopped and above all, separate zones for the industry must be created away from the urban population otherwise the same problems will have to be faced every year.

According to experts, the air pollution of Lahore has reduced significantly during the Covid lockdown, so the government should promote the work-from-home culture where other measures need to be taken.

Encouraging businesses whose employees can work from home will have very positive results. Work from home will reduce vehicular traffic in the city and reduce energy consumption within offices.

According to the data of the Environment Protection Agency Punjab, the air quality in Lahore improved significantly during the lockdown imposed in 2020 due to Covid-19. From February 26 to August 31, 2020, the Air Quality Index was recorded as minimum 45 and maximum 76 as per the data of Meteorological Department Lahore Office and Town Hall.

According to experts, there is also a difference between US Quality Index and Pakistan AQI, USA AQI is recognized worldwide. But, in the smog policy, Pakistan has set its own Air Quality Index levels, which have been approved by the Environmental Protection Committee, but are not in line with the global AQI. According to USA AQI, zero to fifty degrees is better, while Pakistan AQI considers zero to one hundred as better.

Arslan Ahmed, who works in a software company in Lahore, says that work from home is necessary but not all organizations can do this, for those who provide online services, work from home option has to be adopted, he said. Some employees are also reluctant to work from home because the company will lose their travel allowance.

Noreen Fatima and Fasahat, students of a private university in Gulbarg Lahore, say that they are ready to take online classes, it makes a difference in studies, but this loss is nothing compared to the dangers of smog.

He said that the government should bring private educational institutions to online study modules. He said that government institutions and the students studying there may not have the facility of online classes in the same way as those studying in private institutions, but the point is important that the majority of students in private institutions have personal Vehicles are used while students in government educational institutions use public transport more.

Mian Zahid Ahmed, CEO of a private company in DH Lahore, says that the best option they have now is to ask employees to work from home due to the air pollution situation in Lahore.

He said that in his production unit, one-third of the staff were called even during the Corona lockdown, while people from other departments used to work from home.

Mian Zahid Ahmed said that even now if the government takes such a decision, they will follow it. According to Mian Zahid Ahmed, his company has around three thousand employees, more than 400 employees work in Lahore office. Of these, only 100 employees will be called to the office and the rest can work from home.