LAHORE: The capital city has been declared the most polluted city in the world, with an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) of 394 on Monday.

The AQI is a measure of the concentration of various pollutants in the air, such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). An AQI above 100 is considered “unhealthy”, and above 150 is considered “very unhealthy”.

The smog crisis, primarily fueled by crop residue burning and industrial emissions, has prompted the Punjab government to take immediate and stringent measures to safeguard public health.

The hazardous smog has led to widespread health issues among the city residents, including coughing, breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and skin infections.

Agriculture department launches anti-smog squads

Particularly vulnerable are children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

Individual areas of Lahore fared worse, CERP office 437, Pakistan Engineering Services (Private) 431, US Consulate 420, and Syed Maratab Ali Road 418 at 8:30pm.

Meanwhile, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyam Aurangzeb, chairing a ceremony at the provincial agriculture department headquarters, launched the ‘Anti-Smog Squad’.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, she said the Anti-Smog Squad was a step toward a smog-free Punjab.

She said the agriculture department introduced various initiatives to combat smog and provided Anti-Smog Squad with vehicles to visit smog-affected areas.

She said that these squads would educate farmers about hazards of burning of crop residues, promote the use of super seeders and offer alternative methods for residue disposal.

She said the squad would also issue warnings and take timely action, when necessary, adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards factors contributing to air pollution.

The minister mentioned that the positive effects of the measures taken to combat smog will become visible in 8 to 10 years, adding that environmental protection has been included as a subject in the curriculum in the province.

She said the government had declared a war on smog at a multi-sectoral level six months ago.

She urged farmers to avoid burning the crop residues, stressing that doing so harms not just the crops but also their children’s health.

Ms Aurangzeb encouraged immediate reporting of any smoke sightings via 1373 helpline, assuring prompt action from the teams.

She said a comprehensive smog policy was being implemented for the first time, with ongoing efforts to provide super seeders to farmers.

Agriculture Department Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said the Anti-Smog Squads have been established in rice-growing regions, equipped with vehicles to enhance the outreach efforts and support smog control.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2024