Smog in Punjab, Its Health Issues, Government Policy and Scientific Opinions

Figure 1 : Smog at 6^th November, 2017

Smog appear as a type of air contaminated fog, smoke or haze. This word is the combination of two words smoke and fog that’s why we can say that this is smoky fog. This smog is compound of Sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. Humanoid smog is the subsequent of vehicles smolder, coal burns and industrial emission that generate crop fire. Moreover these factors initiate photo-chemical reactions caused by hazardous emissions that are extremely poisonous for human health and might cause severe ailment or end up with demise. This is smog view from my office (Shaheen complex)

In Los Angeles, US city the smog is the resultant of vehicle emission, industry emission (Primary emission that joins in the atmospheric pollutant with sunlight (secondary emission) and becomes smog. In the other city such as Dehli, Indian city, smog is serious dilemma due to the burning of the vestiges after the harvested wheat and other crops. Smog in Beijing, the capital city of China is suffering of the same problem. The smog appears as a thick blanket in Beijing. The leading establishments of China declared, National Red alert for the dense smog. The main cause of dense smog generation in Beijing is industrial and traffic contamination. This happens usually in winter times. As per AccuWeather, the smog in Beijing is becoming worse by means of geography as the city is surrounded by Xishan and Yanshan mountains. As soon as the compression of the weather moves in, the city air could not move up because of the enclosed mountains. The air is trapped and stay there for long and became polluted by time. The contamination is near to ground level for this reason the level of atmospheric pollution is increased day by day in cities like Los Angles, Delhi, and Bejing, Mexico city and in Tehran, where the inhabitants are imposed to breathe in this contaminated air/smog. This condition is also faced in many other cities globally.

Smog is the mounting issue of Pakistan for past two years and affecting the large urban areas of Punjab during winter times. As a result of this toxic smog, the inhabitants suffered from viral, eyes issue, breathing problems and many other diseases.

Figure 2: Citizen Wear mask while outside (6^th November 2017)

The smog blanket in Punjab is not only disturbing the breathing air but also distressed the power distribution. This smog is the main challenge for the Power transmission system. According to the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), 200 and 500 KV grid stations were closed due to smog. Numerous power plants have been shutter down and inhabitants all over the Punjab are facing health and electric power issues as smog enclosed the most part of Punjab including Lahore. The smog is not a new issue globally however it is new in Pakistan since November 2016. At the moment all cities of Punjab, Pakistan are suffering from smog.

The after effects of the smog are also seen in Lahore. The poisonous smog effects various areas of the Punjab, Pakistan. There are multiple reasons of smog generation in Lahore. 

The smog is boosts up due to the encouraging temperature, moisture, burning fuel of vehicles and industrial discharge that mixed up with dense fog and pollutants. Lahore was considered as the contaminated city of Punjab, however after the smog generation not a single city of Punjab is safe.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) observed that the burning of the remains after the harvested wheat and other crops is the major reason of the Smog in Lahore and Delhi. Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) disclose the level of carbon monoxides (CO), Oxides of Sulfur and Oxides of Nitrates in the air is higher than the normal range given by National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS).

Figure 3 Source: (NASA)

NASA Publish the satellite image (Figure: 1). which shows a large number of fires across the Punjab. This fire could be agriculture fire (red dots) Vague most area of the Punjab (India). Punjab (India) is the food bucket of India produce 2-third of India food specially wheat.

Many Experts has highlighted and warned the concerned authorities about the smog scenario in Punjab, Pakistan.  The concerned departments are unwilling to take righteous actions throughout the year. Now the visibility level is less than 300 meter owing to smog.  According to the Dr. Sajid Rashid (Principle College of Earth and Environmental Science, University of the Punjab, Lahore), smog is a kind of air pollution which is the consequence of contamination and fog. The wet air mixed up with dusty particle and poison gases formed the Smog. Now the smog is becoming an international issue for last many years. The developed countries like china and India are also facing smog issues. Dr. Sajid Rashid highlights the causes of the smog in Lahore which are Industrial poison emissions, brick kilns gas smoke emissions, traffic jams and vehicles emissions. The expert’s opinion about the smog relief is rain.

While talking to Geo News on 5^th November, 2017 Dr. Muhammad Hanif (Director Meteorology Department) said, this is a gray climate and became the 5^th weather in Pakistan. This is a dusty fog, which is already exists in Pakistan for few days, hours and areas. However in 2016 it seem very dense and extended largely. This year, smog is 3 times greater than last year. Beijing was affected by smog for last ten years and Delhi for last six years. This scenario will remain for 40 - 45 days every year. Because of the climatic changes the month of November and December become very dry so that the dusty particles reacts with the sunlight and create dense smog.

Hammad Gillani (Post-Doctoral Researcher Associate, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign-Urbana, IL, United States) mapped the temporal change and level of fog for three months as August, September and October 2017.

27 August, 2017

27 October, 2017

27 September, 2017

Government is also working seriously on this issue. Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is the responsible department regarding environment monitoring EPA has installed ambient stations for Air Quality Monitoring at different places. EPA has also sealed many factories and issues permit to the vehicles whom cause pollution. Various departments play significant role for the safety of the inhabitants. Primary and Secondary Healthcare department, Punjab Started Campaign for citizen health care through banners, steamers in all important point, hospitals for citizens.Albayrak Waste Management Company also takes the initiative of awareness and also distribute the face mask. The city Traffic police also make the special arrangement to overcome traffic congestion as it is also a cause of smog. Traffic police also instruct people to switch on fog light while driving.  Crop burning is banned in Pakistan under the section 144. A letter was issued by the school education department to all district education authorities with the suggestion of drinking 8-10 glass water every day, use mask, use glasses, avoid cold water, close doors, and windows and reduce the outdoor activities.