Lahore Smog:Causes and Solutions
By Engr. Shahryar Khan Baseer
Peshawar, Pakistan
These days Lahoreis engulfed in a deadly smog, just like the capital of India, New Delhi, where citizens are facing severe health problems due to heavy smog.
The Indians thought that fire-crackers used in Diwali was the main cause of the smog, but NASA satellite images revealed that the ancient custom of burning straw and dry vegetation left over from the previous crop, to clear lands for new seeds that is followed by farmers in neighboring states, including Indian Punjab, was the main source of smog.
This custom of clearing farms is also followed in the Punjab province of Pakistan, where the wind takes most of the smoke particles to low areas like Lahore creating smog conditions.
There are farming equipment's available that can clear the land without using fire or that can plant seeds without the need to clear the land, as the old dried crop is mixed in the soil for nutrients, but such equipment is costly and requires training to operate, which the farmers cannot afford.
I believe that the scourge of yearly smogcanbe effectively checked in Lahoreif the farmers are provided with a free seed planting facility through a government-owned and operated company of seeders.
Similarly, the Government of Punjab can incentivize CNG use as it is a much low polluting alternative to gasoline and diesel. Besides, industries should be shut down during the evening to reduce reliance on natural gas.
The people and government of Punjab should also reconsider the CPEC route as it passes through Lahore and Islamabad and is targeted for heavy polluting traffic that will cause problems for Lahore as well as other major cities of Punjab.
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