LAHORE: Some parts of the city received heavy showers on Thursday, whereas other went almost without it if the meteorological data is to be believed; Farukhabad was pounded with 97 millimetres of rain but airport area got only 2.6mm.

Other parts of the city like Lakshmi Chowk received 31mm, Paniwala Talab 32mm, Gulshan-i-Ravi 18mm, but the localities on and around Jail Road were not that lucky and had to content with 6mm only.

According to Met officials, the current wet wave and its pattern will continue for the next 48 hours.

“By Saturday, this system will fizzle out. However, for two days the system will keep producing sporadic but heavy rains in some parts of the city. The showers also brought down temperature. The maximum mercury registered on Thursday was 33.2 degrees Celsius and minimum 25 degrees Celsius,” says one of the officials.

However, worryingly both rains and strong winds (blowing at 28 knots) could not much improve the air quality of the city. It was still registered at 112 – an unhealthy figure for sensitive and elderly people.

“Rains and strong winds normally improve air quality but the failure is worrying. It means that the sources of pollution have become too strong to be even cleared by the most effective and natural clearing agents like rain and wind. It should raise some eyebrows in the policy-making circles,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2021