LAHORE: The caretaker Punjab government has announced a series of measures, including the closure of public and private educational institutes in six divisions on Friday and all Saturdays until the end of January 2024, in an effort to combat the escalating smog situation.

The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority issued a notification that there would be “restricted movement” in the six divisions. The divisions where schools would remain closed on Fridays and Saturdays are: Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, and Sargodha.

It added that all markets, shops, and restaurants would open after 3 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and all offices would open after 3pm on Saturday.

Mr Naqvi chaired a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Anti-Smog at the chief minister’s office on Thursday. He said he had taken important decisions on the recommendations of environmental and health experts.

Altered business hours, educational institutes closure on Friday, Saturdays in six divisions

CM Naqvi also said that 10,000 subsidized electric motorcycles would be provided to students in smog-hit areas. He said that government employees would also be offered the same facility on a lease.

He said the government had also initiated efforts to implement artificial rain in Lahore and expressed that authorities would explore the option to address smog, contingent upon meeting all the requisite conditions. “In order to induce artificial rain, specific cloud types and other necessary measures are prerequisites which we are currently working to fulfill. If all the requirements align, we intend to conduct artificial downpours in the city on Nov 29,” he told journalists.

Artificial rain, also known as cloud seeding, is a weather modification technique that aims to increase precipitation from clouds by dispersing substances, typically silver or potassium iodide, into the air to provide a surface for water vapor to condense onto. The increased condensation leads to the formation of larger water droplets that eventually fall as rain.

He said the government was not in favor of shutting markets and decided that markets would open on Friday and Saturday from 3pm.He said that the district governments in all six divisions would ensure that businesses remain closed on Sunday.

Mr Naqvi added, “Restaurants will also open at 3pm onward on Friday and Saturday. Offices will be open on Friday but only after 3pm on Saturday. The AQI levels are higher in the morning than in the evening, so we are trying to break that cycle.”

He said it was decided The Mall in Lahore would be reserved for cyclists till 5pm on Sundays.

“Some of our decisions carry symbolic significance, aiming to disrupt the peak cycle of smog, while others are intended for long-term impact,” he added. He advised people to continue wearing masks to avoid contracting any health problems

He highlighted the higher air quality index in the morning in Lahore and emphasized doubling water sprinkling on roads by Wasa, PHA, and LWMC to combat smog.

He said people should wear masks to minimize the effects of smog on their health. The reason for the high air quality index is India’s crop residue burning. Joint efforts are being made to reduce smog.

Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) level reached a hazardous 504 at 9am on Thursday and continued to remain at hazardous levels 404 until 8pm.

In addition to the closure of educational institutes, the government has also mandated that markets and shops will only open from 3pm onward. This decision is aimed at reducing the amount of vehicular pollution during the peak smog hours of the day.

The smog situation in Lahore and the larger Punjab region has been a cause for concern for several years now, with air pollution levels frequently crossing the ‘hazardous’ threshold during the winter months. The current AQI level of 504 is well above the ‘hazardous’ threshold of 300, indicating a severe health risk for all residents.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023