Punjab Battles Escalating Smog Crisis with Heightened Air Quality Measures

As locals deal with the devastating impacts of the toxic smog covering their cities, the government has responded to the terrible air quality by implementing a number of emergency measures including  lockdowns in certain locations.

The dense, choking fog that has covered Lahore and other Punjab cities has caused itching throats, severe coughing and eye irritation to a lot of citizens.

Multan:

Multan, the largest city in southern Punjab had an AQI of 2,135 early Friday with PM2.5 levels with a dangerous fine particulate matter at 947 micrograms per cubic meter, roughly 190 times above the WHO’s acceptable limit, according to Swiss air quality monitor IQAir. WHO guidelines consider anything over 5 micrograms hazardous.

Smog impacted surrounding areas such as Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, and Khanewal, limiting road visibility. Special pollution treatment counters were set up at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital, although they only treated a few patients at first until the media highlighted the issue.

Multan’s Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sindhu enforced a “smart lockdown” on Friday to decrease pollution by mandating marketplaces to close by 8 p.m. and traffic police to take down vehicles which emit excessive smoke. Authorities also targeted illegal burning of stubble, garbage fires and brick-making facilities that lacked proper technology.

The Punjab government asked residents to remain indoors. Schools and institutions around the region have been closed until November 17 as have public spaces like parks and zoos. To prevent the rise of respiratory illnesses the Lahore High Court ordered early market closures and serious traffic controls to limit air pollution.

Neighbors stated that the limits were being ignored with youngsters continuing to play outside despite school closures. Many residents reported sore throats as a result of the bad air quality.

Lahore:

Meanwhile Lahore’s AQI surpassed 1,000 around midnight making it the world’s most polluted city. Authorities responded by imposing a “complete ban” on public visiting parks, zoos, playgrounds, memorials and museums in places such as Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Faisalabad. Violators will face fines under Pakistan’s Penal Code, according to an official order by the government.

The Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD) stated that industrial and vehicular emissions, stubble burning and poor weather conditions all contributed to the worsening of smog.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior Punjab minister announced further steps such as covering cargo trucks with sheets, keeping youngsters indoors and penalizing rulebreakers. Several food sellers were also shut down for breaking environmental standards while vital routes in Punjab’s center and southern parts were closed due to heavy thick smog affecting travel and daily life.

Visibility in Lahore has been reduced to the point where massive roadblocks have been implemented due to excessive fog resulting in multiple accidents. 

One such event included a van crashing with a stopped truck injuring nine passengers. These sad instances led local authorities to take more measures such as prohibiting some cars from entering overcrowded regions in order to decrease exposure to harmful air.