In Pakistan, smog is now considered the fifth season, intensifying each winter, particularly in Punjab. Smog negatively affects individuals’ health, as it can result in significant lung, heart, and brain diseases over time. Breathing clean air is one of the fundamental rights of humanity, as failure to do so could very well be lethal. Deteriorating air quality has been a global problem, particularly in industrialized centers. Because of Pakistan’s tremendous urbanization and growing carbon footprint, haze has engulfed the majority of our major cities.
In the past ten years, the Asian region has had a tremendous economic expansion characterized by fast urbanization, substantial energy use, and industrialization. Due to this growth, air pollution has emerged as a threat to public health and has caused environmental harm in the region. Pakistan is one of the nations severely impacted by air pollution. It is reported that rapid urbanization, industrial pollutants, and increasing traffic loads are important factors in air pollution, as well as rapid population expansion.
Increasing global industry exacerbates the problem of air pollution, especially fog. When the temperature drops during the winter, air particles become suspended in the air, causing smog. In much of Pakistan, particularly industrialized regions, the smog season begins at the end of October and lasts until March. Vehicles that generate smoke are the second-largest source of air pollution and smog. Numerous automobiles on our roads emit smoke, which consists of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Less refined fuel is utilized in the country. In addition, farmers burn crop residue. Moreover, smog reduces visibility. Driving in dense smog is equivalent to driving blind, with obvious implications. Similarly, the industrial sector produces considerable quantities of sulphur oxides and pollutants as a result of the use of low-grade, high-sulphur coal and diesel generators, particularly in the brick kiln and cement industries.
In recent years, Lahore has been exhibiting a troubling trend. As winter approaches, the city is enveloped in a thick, unbreathable smog. During the winter months, the city routinely tops the list of cities with the worse air quality. The current air quality index for Lahore indicates that the air is dangerously polluted and harmful to breathe. As winter approaches, so does smog in Lahore. Even though haze has become a common wintertime occurrence in Lahore in recent years, the government has not taken consistent measures to combat what the World Health Organization has labelled “new tobacco.” Lahore is the city in Pakistan that has been plagued by smog the most during the past few years. The city is overpopulated and located in an industrialized area with a significant traffic issue. Consequently, the causes of smog in Lahore are car emissions, industrial pollutants, fossil-fuel-fired power stations, waste burning, and coal burned by thousands of brick kilns located around the region.
It is essential to comprehend this breakdown in order to develop successful strategies for enhancing air quality. With permanent economic and societal consequences, healthcare expenses have increased. With around 1% of Pakistan’s GDP spent on health, preventative health interventions are vital to defending Pakistan’s health and economy. Pakistan needs a national system to monitor urban air quality in order to take action. The only way forward is to reduce smog, which has two advantages. First, stringent steps can minimize the greenhouse gases that produce air pollution in the first place. Secondly, these modifications also address climate change.
The impacts of air pollution on living species will negatively impact not only human and animal health but also the environment as a whole. Diverse geographical conditions, fluctuations in global temperature, and environmental differences have an effect on human health, the environment, and animal life. In addition, pollution has negative effects on agriculture. Rapid industrialization, factory and mine smoke, massive deforestation, and planting of the wrong type of trees have all contributed to this problem. In addition, a lack of precipitation and weak winds have aggravated the issue.
Uncomplicated is a long-term, sustainable solution to winter air pollution. It demands a large and dramatic shift in government policy and the corporate practices of the private sector. While the government must revise its laws and invest extensively in renewable energy sources and public transportation networks in urban areas, the private sector must recognize its social duties and implement carbon-reduction technologies. This cannot occur unless the government takes the necessary steps. If the government continues to wait, individuals should not hesitate to demand prompt action on a continuing, critical public health concern. The widespread opinion holds that rapid forestation efforts will be beneficial as well. Continuing the tree tsunami is a wise choice that can have a significant influence on combating climate change and pollution.
Brick kiln plants that create bricks by burning coal primarily are one of these sources. Since the Pakistani brick kiln industry has not been developed or is unregulated, there is no pollution reduction mechanism in place; hence, the smoke from the chimneys is not mitigated. The industrialized world and the majority of the developing world are adopting the new zigzag technology for brick kilns, which not only minimizes pollution but also is also cost-effective. According to experts, this method cuts coal usage by forty percent and generates ninety percent higher-quality bricks than conventional brick kilns.
To reduce this year’s consequences, the Punjab government has decided to implement Section 144 throughout the province to prohibit the burning of crop waste and garbage. In addition, anti-smog teams have been organized to crack down on polluting industries and automobiles. If the initiative is taken with integrity, taking into account the available knowledge on climate change, and remains corruption-free, the nation may experience a large reduction in air pollution. Reducing pollution must be a year-round effort, with an emphasis on reducing emissions and shifting to more environmentally friendly methods of land clearing for the next crop. Farmers must be educated about the damaging nature of burning stubble while polluting automobiles, and companies must be penalized. Concurrently, ongoing public awareness programs about emission reduction are essential.
