A person crosses a smog-shrouded road in Lahore on Nov. 16, 2024. On Nov. 15, Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, prolonged faculty closures in main cities affected by smog for every week, with hundreds of hospitalized because the nation battles document air air pollution. | Picture credit score: AFP
Pakistan’s Punjab authorities on Friday (November 16, 2024) declared smog a “well being disaster” and used synthetic rain in a number of cities within the province in an effort to fight its harmful ranges, as hundreds of thousands reported respiratory and respiratory issues. different respiratory issues over the last month. .
That is the second time that the Punjab authorities has opted for synthetic rain. In December final yr, the federal government efficiently performed a cloud seeding experiment in Lahore.
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“Cloud seeding experiment performed in Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang and Gujar Khan cities of Punjab led to rains in Jhelum and Gujar Khan on Friday,” the Punjab authorities mentioned in a late evening assertion.
He mentioned he performed a profitable take a look at of synthetic rain utilizing native expertise. “Cloud seeding was carried out at 2 pm on Friday and inside hours it rained in Jhelum and Gujar Khan. There’s additionally a excessive probability of rain in Lahore after this experiment. The substitute rain will considerably assist in lowering smog,” he mentioned.
Earlier within the day, at a press convention right here, Chief Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb mentioned the Punjab authorities has imposed a “well being emergency” in Lahore and Multan districts to fight the dense smog overlaying the province of round 130 million inhabitants over the last weeks.
In accordance with the provincial well being division, round two million circumstances of respiratory sicknesses have been recorded in hospitals within the final month, along with complaints of bronchial asthma, respiratory infections, conjunctivitis and coronary heart issues.
Dense smog brought on by poisonous pollution has engulfed a number of cities in Punjab, with Lahore and Multan being the worst affected.
The AQI (air high quality index) studying in Multan has already crossed 2,000 twice, setting a brand new document for air air pollution.
Aurangzeb mentioned the hospital knowledge doesn’t present an entire image of the opposed well being impacts brought on by smog because it solely contains reported circumstances.
“Many individuals affected by respiratory issues don’t go to hospitals to hunt medical recommendation and as a substitute self-medicate at residence or go to casual dispensaries,” he mentioned.
“Proper now, the smog disaster has develop into a well being disaster. Numerous components that contribute to smog embody transportation, agriculture, power, our habits, habits and actions in the direction of nature,” he mentioned, including that the Punjab authorities had drawn up a ten-year smog mitigation plan to handle the issue.
In accordance with the federal government, the bogus rain challenge was a collaborative effort involving scientific analysis and improvement (SPD) consultants from Pakistan, Military Aviation, PARCO and the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) of the Punjab authorities, which culminated within the success of synthetic rain.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz congratulated all establishments and scientific consultants concerned within the achievement.
“Immediately, dedication, onerous work and expertise have written a brand new chapter within the historical past of Punjab. Your complete nation is pleased with the workforce,” he mentioned.
Lahore and another cities in Punjab are going through the worst air pollution in latest weeks.
The Punjab authorities has taken a number of measures, together with closing faculties, cracking down on automobiles emitting extreme smoke, and banning barbecues and visits to leisure locations, to fight smog.
Nevertheless, these measures have confirmed inadequate to handle the disaster.
Revealed – Nov 16, 2024 05:34 pm IST
