LAHORE: A spell of light rain expected from Thursday (today) evening is likely to bring about some respite for citizens enduring hazardous smog in most parts of Punjab.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday predicted that light rain would affect most districts in the province from Nov 14 to 16, potentially easing smog in the region.

The rain is expected to cover a wide range of areas, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, Jhelum, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Mianwali, Khushab, and Sargodha.

Thunderstorms may also occur in Bhakkar, Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan on Nov 15, further aiding the reduction of pollution particles in the air.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said that the possible rains are likely to reduce smog.

“Use masks to protect against smog and do not go out unnecessarily.”

He said the citizens should avoid unnecessary travel in bad weather conditions and should use fog lights while travelling.

The dire state of air quality has placed major cities in Punjab among the most polluted in the world.

On Wednesday, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a hazardous peak of 815, placing it second on the global pollution charts behind New Delhi.

Multan, too, recorded alarming AQI levels of 459, making it the most polluted city in Pakistan, according to IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality monitoring organisation.

The worsening pollution prompted the Punjab government to close colleges and impose restrictions on commercial activities.

The Lahore district administration conducted raids to implement the order to close the markets at 8pm and ban outdoor dining.

As per detail, actions were taken on 46 violations, three cases were registered, final warnings were given to five small shops while 41 shops were sealed.

Actions are ongoing without any discrimination in every tehsil of Lahore district administration.

The National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP) had closed the motorways M1, M2, M3, M4 at several points due to poor visibility caused by smog.

In a bid to address rising air pollution, the Multan district administration launched an anti-smog crackdown across the city.

Multan Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sindhu said legal action was being taken against vehicles and brick kilns emitting smoke which worsened the air quality.

He said that 10 brick kilns were demolished and 40 loader trolleys found violating pollution control standards were seized.

He also visited local markets, engaging with members of the business community and distributed face masks to the public and urged citizens to adopt preventive measures to protect themselves from the health hazards posed by smog.

“Our efforts are already beginning to show positive results,” Sindhu remarked, highlighting the impact of the district administration’s recent measures.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024