Lahore, which has been among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world since 2017, needs to significantly reduce its pollution levels through the implementation of environmentally friendly solutions.
The rules and policies for businesses, industries, and public and private transportation, according to industrial and environmental experts, are also needed.
In last year’s IQ Air Air Quality Report 2023, the city had a score of 99.4, placing it fifth among the world’s most polluted cities. The issue is much worse this year, which is causing the Punjabi province government to curtail or stop a lot of business-related operations, which could harm a variety of companies.
Experts said, “A general perception is that usually Lahore’s air becomes more hazardous during the winter season when dust or smoke particles along with fog create a thick layer of smog, affecting visibility and breathing.”
They also added, “The problem aggravates during winters (November to February) but an analysis of AQI monthly data reflects that this is no more a winter phenomenon only, because Lahore’s air quality remained ‘very unhealthy’ from June to August while it was ‘hazardous’ for the remainder of 2023.”
Also read: Smog Crisis Engulfs Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, and Multan Face Hazardous Air Quality
According to the Punjab State of Environment Report 2023, the main causes of air pollution include road dust, automobiles with poor emissions control, urbanization, industrialization, population growth, and expanding economic development.
According to the report, around 80% of 2023 was spent with “moderate” to “hazardous” air quality for the residents of Lahore.
On the basis of the monitored parameters, 232 examinations of stack emissions at different industries showed that, with the exception of sugar mills, all of them had ‘bad’ to ‘very poor’ ratings, even though 67% of the passenger service cars assessed were deemed road worthy.
The experts said, “There are several regulations, policies and laws developed both in Punjab and at the federal level to address and counter this phenomenon of air pollution.”
The National Clean Air Policy 2023, Punjab Clean Air Policy 2023, Policy on Controlling Smog 2017, and National Climate Change Policy 2021 are a few of these.
They claimed that controlling the rate of urbanization was the first step towards a straightforward solution. By carefully allocating resources, particularly in the fields of health and education, the province might be able to control the rate of migration.
In a similar vein, they argued, the growth of residential and industrial colonies should be closely watched and managed to prevent contamination of the air for future generations.
Also read: Smog Crisis: Lahore’s Air Quality Reaches ‘Hazardous’ Levels
A minimum Euro-2 level is required for all vehicles in accordance with the 2017 Punjab pollution control program. The emissions of all two-, three-, and four-wheelers are currently within the allowed limits and are produced in accordance with Euro-2 regulations.
Commercial diesel-powered vehicles that emit significantly more hazardous pollutants are the problem. According to experts, the local government must play a significant role in promoting electric vehicles, particularly buses, in order to curb this.
Since smuggled oil is more polluted and emits more carbon dioxide than regular oil, it is also a problem.
Besides, Lahore’s infrastructural development has cost money. “While the road network and connectivity is far better compared to other cities in the province, it has badly affected tree coverage of the city,” according to the experts.
Starting with the Billion Tree Tsunami and Miyawaki Urban Forest in Lahore, the government launched a number of tree planting campaigns in 2019. These initiatives are urgently needed.
Agriculture (stubble burning) continues to be the most important aspect since farmers are forced to burn stubble because they lack the necessary skills, equipment, and resources, even though they believe it is a quicker and less expensive way to prepare the land for the next crop.
A penalty of Rs 50,000 per acre was announced by the previous administration in 2019 for farmers who were found to be burning stubble. Compliance and enforcement, however, are still lacking. There is also a need for a major government intervention in this matter.
Also read: Punjab Imposes Emergency Restrictions as Air Quality Hits Dangerous Levels
The experts stressed, “Not only farmers need to be educated about the social impact of stubble burning, but they must also be provided required financial support to switch to more environment-friendly methods of treating the crop residue.”
