Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab in terms of population, is also covered in smog this year.
The weather forecast released on the official website of the Meteorological Department says that the weather will remain dry this week from Monday to Wednesday and there is no chance of rain while in the morning hours. Smog And the fog will remain.
The Punjab government had announced a smart lockdown in view of the smog, but despite it being a holiday, Lahore remained shrouded in fog on Sunday and recorded 406 on the air quality index, which is extremely harmful to health.
Monday morning at six o’clock Lahore recorded an air quality index of 338 (this index changes every little while) and IQ Air According to Lahore was ranked first in the list of the most polluted cities in the world.
The Punjab government imposed a smart lockdown in the city on Saturday and Sunday, but apparently to no avail. In view of this situation, the caretaker Punjab government has made it mandatory to wear face masks from November 20 to 26 in those districts of the province where smog is high and has also issued a notification in this regard.
The Punjab Chief Minister also shared the notification on social media site X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday and wrote: ‘In view of deteriorating air quality, the Punjab Government has issued face masks for all citizens in the smog-affected districts of the province. Wearing a mask is mandatory. It is our collective responsibility to prioritize health. Please follow the instructions.’
In response to deteriorating Air Quality, the Punjab Government announces a 1-week mandate for wearing of face masks for all citizens in smog effected districts of Punjab. Prioritising health is our collective responsibility. Please adhere to the guidelines for a safer community. pic.twitter.com/qe3jBdUjvY
— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) November 19, 2023
E-bikes
The Parks and Horticulture Authority has also announced to distribute electric motorcycles to the staff on November 20 i.e. Monday to combat smog. PHA spokesperson Ahmed Saad told Independent Urdu that a total of 100 electric motorcycles will be distributed among the staff, of which 25 will be handed over to the staff today (Monday) in the first phase.
According to him, PHA is the first government agency that has taken this step to control air pollution. “These motorcycles will not only reduce fuel costs but also promote environment-friendly initiatives.”
Ahmad Saad said that the emission rate of electric motorcycle batteries is zero, which is an expression of PHA’s commitment to a healthy environment.
Speaking to Independent Urdu, Dr. Salman Kazmi of Mayo Hospital said that due to smog, a large number of people are coming to hospitals and private clinics as well. “Most of them come with complaints of bad breath and wheezing or some have resistant flu and cough, which can be cured without steroids or over-the-counter medications.” It’s not going well without it.’
He said that this problem is getting prolonged because the previous governments never made any plan in this regard.
In India, Dubai or China they often make artificial rain because it is a good solution to this problem.
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The caretaker government of Punjab has made a plan for artificial rain, but perhaps there are no clouds here yet, due to which this plan cannot be implemented.
He said that people must wear masks, don’t let small children travel on motorcycles. Patients who are weak, suffering from asthma, pregnant women or those who smoke heavily should avoid smog at all times and stay indoors in the morning and evening.
Air Purifiers
Various measures are being taken by the government but conscious citizens of every class affected by smog are also trying to save themselves with your help.
There are various air purifiers available in the market which can be used for a single room while some are of larger size which can enhance the atmosphere of a hall.
Muhammad Sohail, manager of a well-known store in Lahore, said that the sales of air purifiers increase on days when smog is high.
“Three to four purefires are sold a day.
According to Sohail, the air purifiers they have are priced from Rs 38,000 to Rs 200,000, but it depends on the size of the room you need.
He also said that air purifiers have filters that need to be replaced after some time. A pack of filters containing four filters costs a minimum of Rs 20,000.
It certainly does not seem possible for a poor man to bear this expense. Independent Urdu spoke to some people who do not have access to air purifiers, and asked them what they do to avoid smog.
Asia Bibi is a resident of Lahore and works as a cleaner in various homes. When we asked him this, he laughed and said: ‘I never thought I would have to avoid it. I am not literate nor do I have a TV that I know. Just bajian tells but I never took it seriously.’
Qari Ejaz wears a black mask on his face and teaches the Qur’an to children from house to house in different areas of the city.
Speaking to Independent Urdu, Qari Ejaz said: ‘I wear a mask all the time to avoid smog, and if there are children in the house, they also just go from home to school, otherwise they are kept inside the house. What has happened? I did not allow them to play outside the house even in the street, yet the children are constantly coughing.’
Anti-smog plants?
We asked the question in various groups on social media platforms, how do consumers improve the atmosphere of their home and how do they protect themselves from smog?
In response, some users said that they use air purifiers in the room. A user, Maria Khan, wrote that plants that act as air purifiers are kept inside the rooms, including snake plant, spider plant, peace lily, aloe vera, English ivy, rubber plant and bamboo etc.
A user, Sadia, shared a photo of an air quality checker installed in her home, which showed that her house had an air quality index of 446 even though all the doors and windows were closed.
Sadia said that this is not only the situation of her house but the whole city. ‘This is the third winter that my children are suffering from various allergies despite wearing N95 masks. This is the main reason why we are thinking of leaving Lahore city and going to another city.
Sadia said that it will not be beneficial to install air purifier plants inside the house because 2.5 particulate meters are not cleaned by plants.
Yamuna Siddiqui believes that these plants will not be able to do anything even if all the windows of the house are closed in the level of smog.
In this regard, Independent Urdu contacted Professor Dr. Shakeel Ahmed of Botany Department of Punjab University. He said that nothing concrete can be done about such plants at present, but this year I have asked some of my students to do research on indoor and outdoor plants that can help reduce air pollution. is given I am monitoring the research to see what the results are, but nothing definitive can be said at this time.’
Independent Urdu also spoke to social media influencer Ayesha Nasir. Ayesha, who is also a doctor, has created a community of mothers on various social networking sites called ‘Scary Mom’.
Every year, Ayesha talks through this community about how to prevent smog and how to protect themselves and children from it, and also visits various schools and educational institutions to spread awareness about it.
Speaking to Independent Urdu, Dr. Ayesha Nasir said: ‘Plants that can reduce air pollution such as snack plants, etc. do not have any conclusive evidence, but some people believe that they are beneficial. .’
He said that as far as smog is concerned, it is very dangerous for human health and Lahore is included in the list of the most dangerous cities in the world in terms of air pollution.
Precautions
You can take precautions like wearing a mask and wearing eye glasses while going out, but none of the measures work 100%. Yes, wear masks with air filters to ensure that you are protecting your lungs to some extent.
Similarly, air purifiers can be used inside houses but only for one room. So they can be installed where you and the kids are sleeping at night, but even then you have to constantly change its filters.
“The better solution is to control the smog, for which we have to take measures at the large-scale institutions and government level.”
How can smog be avoided with minimal resources?
Dr Sudra Latif, an ophthalmologist at Mayo Hospital, told Independent Urdu that people who do not have a lot of resources to avoid smog should go out as little as possible, especially early in the morning and late at night. Because smog is high at that time.
Keep the doors of the rooms closed and if possible put a curtain in front of the windows. Wash your mouth thoroughly when coming from outside.
Goggles can also be put on the eyes while going out to protect the eyes and if you can’t take a mask, fold any dupatta or cloth and wrap it over your face up to the nose.
#Punjab #deal #smog #resources
2024-09-29 11:17:18
