Thick smog flares up health hazards in south Punjab

MULTAN: A thick blanket of smog continues to grip Multan and other districts in South Punjab, paralysing daily life and promoting infectious diseases, Meteorological Department statistics said.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped in the morning on Tuesday (AQI 800) compared to Monday (955). The AQI further dropped in the afternoon to AQI 578, however, the AQI was expected to increase in the evening hours. The AQI measured in Dera Ghazi Khan was at a scale of 226, while Bahawalpur was at 219. The very hazardous and unhealthy AQI further promotes health problems. The health effects are immediately felt by sensitive groups, who should avoid outdoor activity. Healthy individuals are likely to experience difficulty breathing and throat irritation; they should consider staying indoors and rescheduling outdoor activities, health professionals said. The pollutants in the air are measured higher than recommended standards. The concentration in the air gauged was noted P.M 2.5. The concentration is 72.9 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. The new air quality guidelines (WHO AQG) are ambitious and reflect the large impact that air pollution has on global health. The Punjab Environment Protection Agency, through notification, devised a six-prong strategy to combat smog and asked all the district and divisional administrations to follow the guidelines. The notification said the Punjab government is trying hard to control everything possible.

All departments should take preemptive measures. Among the indoor factors that cause air pollution and deteriorate ambient air quality, actions against all sources of air pollution have already been initiated by the EPA and other concerned departments. As per Section 2(xxxiii) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997, pollution means the contamination of air, land, or water by a discharge, the emissions of waste, refuse, or air pollution, noise, or other matter that, either directly or indirectly, or in combination with other excretory substances or substances, adversely alter the chemical, physical, biological, radiative, thermal, or radiological or aesthetic properties of air, land, or water, or which may or is likely to, render the air, land, or water impure, harmful, or impaired.

The notification instructs to avoid harmful, objectionable, or damaging effects on the health and prefer the safety, welfare, or property of persons or harm to biodiversity. The Health Advisory System for Critical Air Pollution Incidents (HAS-CAPEs) was notified on 13.12.2022, whereby the first meeting of the Provincial CAPEs Committee (PCC) was held on 21.10.2024, which declared that a major incident of air pollution happened in Lahore. Since then, significant incidents of air pollution have also taken place.

The notification referred to incidents last week in the districts of Faisalabad, Multan, and Gujranwala. Their average AQI districts have crossed the critical threshold of 500, dangerously high for humans. An extraordinary increase in the number of lung patients and respiratory diseases, allergies, eye and throat irritation, and pink eye disease are occurring. Therefore, it is imperative to take all necessary measures for the prevention of these diseases in the said districts. Section 6(1)(t) of the ibid Act states that the EPA or all necessary measures should be taken for conservation, protection, restoration, and rehabilitation. The notification suggested promoting environmental improvement, pollution prevention and control, and sustainability. Meanwhile, the city district administration launched a crackdown on burning garbage to prevent smog.

The Waste Management Company formed special teams against garbage burners. The WMC filed four prosecutions against those who set fire to plastic. The enforcement team took legal action on the instructions of WMC Chief Executive Officer Abdul Zaraq Dogar. The Waste Management Company is also spraying to eliminate dust and dirt. The WMC Chief Executive Officer Abdul Razaq Dogar said the company is running a full awareness campaign regarding smog.

He appealed to citizens to report to 1139 against those who set fire to urban garbage. He said setting garbage on fire is a crime, and citizens should cooperate to improve the urban environment, he added.