LAHORE: Lahore and other cities bordering Indian Punjab may face smog if it does not rain and wind starts coming from the east (India) instead of the present west in the next few days.

This was stated by Flood Forecasting Division chief Riaz Khan here on Sunday.

Lahore and other cities in Punjab bordering Indian Punjab have so far been cleared of smog because of wind direction from the west, strict control over activities that generate pollution like brick kilns and burning of used tyres and plastic by steel re-rolling mills, and less burning of rice crop residue by Indian Punjab farmers, which has been the single largest contributor to smog in this part of the subcontinent over the past few years.

Mr Khan said the Indian Punjab farmers are at present burning the rice crop residue but this time the extent of the incident was less than the previous years.

Rice crop residue burning in Pakistani Punjab was negligible because of preventive measures taken by the provincial government which had banned it under Section 144. Burning of solids waste management too was strictly banned.

Luckily, Mr Khan said, wind direction so far had been from west to the east, containing smoke and ash of the burning crop residue in the Indian Punjab and beyond.

But, he said, moisture suspended in the air because of lowering temperatures was catching locally produced pollutants like dust, automobile omissions etc and their further accumulation would develop smog over Lahore and other cities if it does not rain.

The westerly wind too had almost become calm keeping the pollutants suspended over the cities. And this was also raising the chances of wind from east (India).

“At present there are no or very little chances of rain,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2018

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