ast week, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) declared the city of Lahore as “calamity hit,” due to smog. The booming megalopolis is now routinely shrouded in dense, grey smog at the onset of winter every year. The smog doesn’t just herald in cooler weather; it is accompanied by a public health crisis causing an increase in respiratory infections.

The ill effects of smog aren’t limited to itchy throats and irritated eyes, the particulate matter (pollutant particles suspended in the air) are known to cause cancer. The Word Health Organisation (WHO) reported more than 4 million preventable deaths due to air pollution in 2016 alone.

People in developing countries like Pakistan are more vulnerable to ill effects of air pollution. There are a number of reasons for this, chief among them being the lax environmental regulations leading to the use of poor quality fuels; the absence of effective control on industry emissions and stubble burning; a general lack of knowledge about the ill effects of breathing heavily polluted air; and, of course, the precedence “development” and “productivity” take over human health.

The greatest public health burden caused by air pollution exists in South East Asia, where a combination of dietary factors and genetic predisposition already render most of the population vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases. A 2013 study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that outdoor air pollution is carcinogenic for humans, with particulate matter (PM) being most closely associated with increased cancer incidence, especially lung cancer.

Air quality measurements are reported in concentrations of particulate matter (PM). But what exactly is ‘particulate matter’? PM is a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air. It can include pollutants harmful to human health such as sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon and mineral dust. Particles with a diameter of up to 10 microns (PM 10) can penetrate and lodge deep in the lungs.

Even more damaging are the smaller particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less, commonly known as PM 2.5. These particles can penetrate from the lungs into the bloodstream thus carrying pollution throughout the body. This immeasurably increases the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as of lung cancer.

Alarmingly, PM 2.5 pollution has health impacts even at very low concentrations. This means that any amount of air pollution caused by small particulate, no matter how small or seemingly invisible to the eye, damages health. Consequently, the WHO Global guidelines do not have a lower threshold for PM 2.5 air pollution, and instead aim to minimise exposure.

The PDMA has been empowered to take such steps as necessary to formulate effective disaster risk management and mitigation policies; coordinate disaster response and financial management; increase public awareness; provide technical support and give directions to provincial departments as necessary.

Alarmingly, PM 2.5 pollution has health impacts even at very low concentrations. This means that any amount of air pollution caused by small particles, no matter how small or seemingly invisible to the eye, damages health. Consequently, the WHO Global guidelines do not have a lower threshold for PM 2.5 air pollution, and instead aim to minimise exposure.

In terms of tackling smog, the PDMA has worked to introduce legislation for local industry in order to reduce overall pollution. Meanwhile, the provincial Environment Protection Department (EPD) has mapped out brick kilns and industries emitting air pollution and imposed fines on the owners. The government of the Punjab has gone as far as to provide loans for the refurbishment of traditional brick kilns to zigzag technology in order to reduce air pollution.

he ground reality is that many of the factors and policy elements directly causing, or indirectly contributing to air pollution remain. For starters, the poor quality of fuel coupled with the poor upkeep of vehicles, especially heavy vehicles, has long been cited as a major reason for air pollution.

Until last year, only one oil refinery in Pakistan had the capability to refine fuel to Euro 5 standards, which considerably reduces the air pollution from vehicles. Early this year, the Ministry of Energy granted refineries a five-year extension to comply with Euro 5 standards. This is akin to choking communities already gasping for air.

In 2021, the Punjab government claimed to have drastically “improved” the air quality, not by addressing the root cause of pollution but by simply changing the standards against which air pollution was measured. Because numerous “air index rankings” rely on official government data, Lahore fell from the worst air quality in the world to currently sitting at the 20^th spot on the IQAir Index — problem solved by a simple stroke of genius.

Reports from a high court hearing indicate that last year the PDMA claimed that the increased consumption of grilled fish and barbecue had caused smog. These facts, in themselves, are sufficient to reflect on the commitment of the government to address what is fast becoming a permanent environmental problem and public health catastrophe.

More importantly, perhaps, the aforementioned factors also indicate a serious lack of knowledge about smog, its causes and impacts. The PDMA which has been mandated to make provincial disaster management policies, does not list a single air pollution expert or air quality scientist among its staff. For a province plagued by smog on an annual basis, the most recent policy document available in the public domain is a 2017 policy on controlling smog published by the EPD.

Addressing all the factors causing air pollution may not be immediately possible but there are successful examples from around the world. Beijing, China, was in international headlines in 2008 with the worst air quality in the world. In just over a decade, the city has seen a dramatic reduction in smog. This improvement in air quality didn’t happen overnight; it owes its success to a series of careful policy measures upheld over time by political will, investment and consistency. Some of the steps that reduced PM 2.5 concentrations by around 35 percent include vehicle emissions control, industry restructuring, provision of clean fuels for domestic use, and reducing coal use. A stringent and independent air monitoring unit regularly evaluated air quality data and enforced strict environmental laws.

Air pollution control is not an easy or a short-term process. Tackling all of the causes overnight is not practicable. Most sources of outdoor air pollution are beyond the control of individuals or groups. The need of the hour is for the provincial government to take concerted action by involving local and provincial policymakers, air quality experts and environmentalists, and representatives from critical sectors such as transport, energy, urban planning and agriculture.

The writer is a development sector professional with nearly a decade of experience in communications and reporting. He has supported the implementation of The World Bank’s Disaster and Climate Resilience Improvement Project (DCRIP) and ADB’s Flood Emergency Reconstruction and Resilience Project (FERRP) in Pakistan