TAXILA: The Attock district administration held an awareness seminar and walk on Wednesday to sensitise local residents on the negative effects of smog on human health.

Speakers told participants that burning paddy stubble, smoke producing vehicles, hours-long traffic jams, the use of substandard fuel by industrial units, rapid and unplanned urbanisation and drought are the main causes of smog.

They emphasised the need for collective efforts to control the burning of crop residue, which contributes to smog formation.

The speakers also said that collective efforts and planning by various departments with a multi-sectoral approach is needed to overcome the issue.

Community participation is also essential for immediate measures to control pollution.

Speakers urged participants to take precautionary measures and observe traffic rules during smog.

Attock Assistant Commissioner Jannat Hussain Nekokara explained that smog is a kind of air pollution named for the mixture of smoke and fog in the air. It affects visibility, human health and crops.

District Health Authority CEO Dr Sohail Ijaz said that ground-level ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are especially harmful for senior citizens, children and people with heart and lung conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma.

He said smog has become a regular occurrence in the last couple of years and could be labelled a ‘fifth season’ in the country.

“Pakistan is suffering huge economic losses due to smog pollution in the form of delayed flights, decline in crop yields and respiratory illnesses,” he added.

Elderly citizens with weak physiques, children and patients with respiratory diseases are more vulnerable to the effects of smog. Dr Ijaz said smog can produce pneumonia in children and elderly people, and such individuals should therefore take precautionary measures in such a situation.

District Council Chief Officer Imran Sindhu told participants that smog is formed when fog and smoke combine together in October and November, coupled with low temperatures, high moisture and slow wind speed.

He said the government has passed an environment act to control emissions from various industries and has taken legal action against individuals and industries contributing to pollution.

District Education Authority acting CEO Imran Qureshi, the district officer environment and district officer agriculture also spoke at the event.

Afterwards, participants of the seminar held a walk to raise awareness among the public and distributed literature in this regard.

Separately, International Hand Washing Day was observed at informal basic education schools in Attock on Wednesday, under the supervision of the district education officer (literacy).

An awareness campaign was launched in the schools in which students were informed of the benefits of hand washing through banners, placards and lectures by district literary department officials.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019