THIS is the time of the year when city dwellers across Punjab start choking on toxic air. Soon the harmful air will turn into smog as temperatures plunge and noxious pollutants get trapped in the atmosphere. Travel will become difficult, highways will have to be shut down, and the number of patients complaining of asthma and similar ailments will multiply. It is also that time of the year when the authorities begin to implement measures to mitigate the intensity and effects of the smog. Regrettably, these measures have rarely worked. Nevertheless, the provincial government must be given credit for at least acknowledging the fact that smog is no longer a winter-specific phenomenon but an all-season issue now. It should also be appreciated that the government has drawn up an anti-smog action plan, a mix of old and new measures comprising short- to long-term strategies to control air pollution.

The government claims that planning had begun in April. A smog-monitoring unit has been created to monitor activities on the smog dashboard daily and facilitate the implementation of the mitigation plan. According to Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the focus has shifted to rigorous enforcement, targeting high-emission sectors such as brick kilns and industrial units to ensure reduced emissions. Sadly, the plan has not produced the desired results because it lacks enforcement. Polluting industries on the outskirts of Lahore and other cities, for example, continue to release toxic emissions into the atmosphere without compunction. No wonder a thick blanket of smoke laden with industrial pollutants is trapped in the atmosphere even during summer. Likewise, defective smoke-emitting vehicles ply freely on the roads in spite of official claims to the contrary. The issue of toxic air or smog cannot be tackled simply by producing fancy strategies. To address this problem effectively, enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened to ensure that no polluter gets off scot-free.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2024