Unbreathable air

LAHORE: The historic and cultural city of Lahore, called the heart of Pakistan, is making headlines worldwide again by ‘surpassing’ capitals of the world’s largest countries but for all the wrong reasons, being the most polluted city.

In 2010, Lahore, provincial capital of the largest province —Punjab— was at the 75th position among the most polluted cities of the world but in 2021 it has topped the table with particulate matter (PM) rating between 240 and 350 during the last few weeks.

In the latest ranking of the Air Quality Index (AQI), Lahore emerged as the most polluted cities of the world several times over the last few weeks, beating India’s New Delhi to occupy the ‘precious’ place [at world’s stage].

Since the start of November, the smog has engulfed large swathes of land in Punjab, particularly in industrial cities including Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad, etc for various reasons, mostly due to the burning of stubble, vehicular and toxic smoke from industries, rapid urbanization, mega construction projects and fast changing weather patron.

But, Pakistan mainly blames its arch rival India for the smog due to burning of subtle in Indian Punjab, Lahore’s eastern border. During the last couple of weeks, a number of residents of the country’s second largest city have complained of shortness of breath, stinging eyes and nausea from thick, acrid pollution. According to a report on air quality life index, produced by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, all of Pakistan’s 228 million people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level had exceeded the WHO guideline as well as Pakistan’s own air quality standard of 15 µg/m³.

Because of such a [pollution] situation, on average, Pakistanis are estimated to lose their life from two to five years. “Particulate pollution has increased over time. Since the early 2000s, average annual particulate pollution has increased 20 percent, shaving 0.9 years off the lives of the average Pakistan resident over those years.”

The report further highlighted that if Pakistan manages to permanently reduce particulate pollution to the WHO guideline, its residents would gain between 3 to 5 years of life expectancy.

“In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, residents would gain 5.2 years. In Lahore, the second largest city, residents would gain 4 years. Residents of the capital of Islamabad residents would gain 3.1 years.”

From 2008 till 2018, under the ear of incumbent president PML-N and former Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, the historic city saw several mega construction projects including Metro bus from Gajjumata to Shahdara, Orange Line Metro Train from Ali Town to Dera Gujran, Beijing Underpass near Mughalpura, twice construction of Multan Road from Thokar NIaz Baig till Chuburji, etc. These construction [concrete] projects not only cost exchequer’s several hundred billions [of rupees] but they have added immensely into health-related miseries of the population of over 11 million, due to pollution and smog.

Heavy machinery involved for those construction projects have caused serious health issues for Lahoreites, bringing pollution, dust, etc, breeding the smog gradually. From 2016 onward, smog literally takes over and the life in the city goes standstill from mid of October till December each year though rain brings momentary relief but that too not often.

In 2018, on the heels of change, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took over the reins of the most populous province but the fate of its largest city could not be changed as far as controlling smog is concerned.

Under the era of incumbent CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, several construction projects are still underway, poisoning the already hazardous air and environment of the city.

Two underpasses, one at Lahore Railway Station and the other at Ferozpur Road near Gulab Devi Hospital and one Shahkam flyover are the major projects under construction at the moment. The CM has recently termed smog as calamity. On the other hand, during the past few decades, hundreds of acres of agricultural land has been turned into housing societies where concrete houses are being built.

Trees and plants being cut to complete these roads and housing projects adding fuel to the fire as well. Similarly, thousands of industrial units which have been expanded even to residential areas are also causing hazardous emissions, polluting the air.

The Environment Protection Department (EPD) Punjab has identified several hundreds of industrial units in Lahore responsible for the worst emissions. It is also learnt that the department has appealed to the relevant quarters for waiving off duty on import of eco-friendly machinery so that the sector could be put on the modern lines to protect the air of the city.

Moreover, brick kilns, another cause of air pollution, are also being converted to eco-friendly zig-zag technology to improve the air quality. There are around 20,000 traditional brick kilns in the country. Though the Government claimed that over 7800 traditional brick kilns, which were running on smog-causing fossil fuels, have been converted to the environment-friendly zig-zag technology, the smog is still out of control.

To make the matter worse, according to a Punjab Transport Department official, on average 1 million to 1.2 million vehicles are being used only to pick and drop children at schools on a single day in Lahore. It is worth remembering that vehicle emissions are one of the major causes of air pollution, contributing to smog.

“By introducing well-maintained buses on roads for pick and drop of children at schools [in Lahore], it can reduce a significant number of vehicles which would contribute immensely in controlling smog-related issues.

On the other hand, to deal with the alarming threat of smog, the incumbent provincial government introduced a new ‘initiative’, closing down all public and private schools and all private offices three days a week. The ‘initiative’, aimed at reducing traffic on roads to help reduce toxic levels of smog, would commence from November 27 and will continue till January 15, next year.

The latest directive, issued by Punjab relief commissioner Babar Hayat Tarar, aimed to act “as a preventive and speedy remedy” during the winter smog season.

Reacting to the worsening situation, Prime Minister Imran Khan a few days back had directed the departments concerned to devise a strategy in coordination with the provincial governments to save the major cities from pollution, by taking all necessary steps, at the earliest.

“in line with our manifesto, clean and pollution-free Pakistan is our top priority, and long term measures should be taken to deal with the climate change-related issues,“ the premier had said, adding their focus has been on maximizing green cover of our cities through massive plantation

“A sustainable environment protection plan is the need of the hour to fight pollution, especially in major cities,” Imran Khan said while chairing a meeting to counter pollution and its impact on health and related issues in the country. On the other hand, Malik Amin Aslam, Advisor to PM on climate change has said that the government was doing everything it could to deal with smog.

Reportedly, Mr Aslam has said that without regional efforts between India and Pakistan the issue of the smog cannot be tackled, as the crops are burned off on the other side of the border. “We have put this request for a dialogue between regional countries during Cop26 (climate summit). Hopefully, it will take place.” Talking to Bol News, Secretary Environment Punjab Syed Mubasher Hussain said that smog has been termed as calamity by the Punjab Government last year so Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is leading the campaign against smog.