LAHORE: The Punjab government installed 30 Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) across the province, including Lahore, to improve air quality monitoring and gather real-time data on pollution.

The step has been taken by Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EP&CCD) to gather the data and use it to enhancing air quality in the province under the World Bank-assisted Punjab Green Development Program (PGDP).

To tackle the challenge of increasing air pollution in the province, the government had introduced the Climate Resilient Punjab Vision and Action Plan in March last year that outlines a comprehensive and inclusive framework for protecting people from climate change, extreme weather events and environmental degradation.

Installation of these cutting-edge AQMS is one of many steps EP&CCD is taking towards practical implementation of this action plan.

Lahore has five air quality monitoring mobile units, complemented by eight fixed monitoring stations, to provide current data on air quality, while AOMS have also been installed in other cities like Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, and Sialkot.

The fixed monitoring stations are strategically located and comply with US-EPA AQMS site selection criteria, while the mobile systems have been deployed at more dynamic locations, specifically during peak traffic hours and industrial activities.

The initiative aims to gather critical air quality data to track pollutant levels hourly, thereby informing decision-makers, environmental agencies, and the public about air quality trends.

These stations specifically are intended to help identify pollution sources and determine air quality trends to sustainable environmental policies and air pollution mitigation strategies for Punjab.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb highlighted the need to advance the province’s environmental goals, saying that these AQMS will help address climate challenge issues and improve environmental conditions.

She said that these stations are a part of the government’s broader strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change with real-time data collection.

She added that by measuring and understanding air quality levels, the government could address pollution hot spots, enact targeted interventions, and ultimately create a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

These systems are designed to provide hourly data on key pollutants such as particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and Ozone (O3), along with meteorological parameters such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and solar radiation.

Prolonged exposure to these pollutants may contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as other long-term health complications.

In conjunction with the provided data, the government can make technically informed decisions about air quality control and mitigation efforts. It also helps track the effectiveness of existing policies and new interventions required to reduce pollution levels.

Collaborative effort involving various government agencies, international organisations, and the private sector to create a more sustainable future for Punjab.

Project Director Ms Samia Saleem said the installation of 30 AQMS marks a significant milestone in Punjab’s efforts to combat air pollution.

She said the initiative is a crucial step towards evidence-based policy making, as it enables real-time assessment of air quality across the province.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2025