Smog blankets Punjab, schools to remain closed till 17th

LAHORE/PESHAWAR: Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat Tuesday announced that the public and private schools in all districts of the province will remain closed till Nov 17 due to the increasing effects of smog and directed the school administrations to shift 50% of the staff online.

The decision was taken following numerous complaints from various districts.

The minister acknowledged the educational loss but emphasized that closing schools was necessary to protect the children from the harmful effects of smog.

He also sought public cooperation in following the government guidelines.

Owing to the challenges faced in online teaching, an alternative strategy is being developed, Hayat said, adding that a suitable action plan would be announced soon.

In view of the decision, the provincial government has ordered the school administrations to shift 50% of the staff online.

On Tuesday, Lahore ranked first among the world’s top 10 most polluted cities; the overall AQI in the city has reached 910. Air quality index of DHA area of provincial capital was 1236, Johar Town 991, Syed Marabat Ali Road area 1256, and Ghazi Road Interchange AQI 904. Apart from this, Multan’s AQI has reached 800, while Peshawar has recorded 258, Faisalabad 252 and Islamabad AQI 253.

American media said the intensity of smog had become so high in Pakistan that it started to be seen even from space.

Satellite images from the US space agency NASA showed a thick layer of smog over Lahore and Multan that roads and buildings were engulfed in it.

Owing to smog, dry cough, difficulty in breathing, pneumonia and chest infection in children were increasing; more than 35,000 patients were reported in five major government hospitals of Lahore in the past one week. The Meteorological Department said a series of western winds will enter the country from November 14.

Meanwhile, the decision to close shops, shopping malls, markets in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala at 8pm could not be fully implemented. The government is taking action against those continuing business after 8pm and sealed many shops.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb have taken an important initiative to prevent smog.

Conducting online meetings in offices and recommending car polling measures were under discussions, while the government has also told the Lahore High Court that it will request the citizens to stop holding marriages in the months of October, November and December.

All government and semi-government organizations have been directed to prepare an emergency plan to combat smog, said the EPA ordering the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to take immediate steps for smog control. The EPA also issued a directive regarding reducing office attendance by 50% in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.

Smog has started polluting other districts of Punjab as well after which the government closed schools in DG Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi divisions and directed the school administrations to make the teaching process online till class 12th. There has been an increase in the number of patients with pink eye, chest infection and various allergies in other districts of the province.

Meanwhile, MET officials predicted that smog was likely to prevail in plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and most parts of Punjab, while dense fog is also likely during morning/night hours.

Arshad Aziz Malik from Peshawar adds: Peshawar has faced severe air quality challenges over the past week, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to hazardous levels as high as 509 while the index was above 900 two days ago.

Health officials have reported a rise in respiratory illnesses linked to the deteriorating air quality.

The NDMA issued a smog advisory for November and December, warning that cities like Peshawar, Nowshera, and Mardan are likely to experience increased smog during these months. Dr. Adil Zareef, environment expert and Convener of the Peshawar Clean Air Alliance, told this correspondent that the smog crisis in Peshawar stems from several factors, including reliance on outdated and inefficient vehicles, unchecked industrial emissions, and the prevalence of brick kilns. These pollutants and seasonal weather patterns have resulted in a dense mixture of smoke and fog, laden with harmful substances, blanketing the city.