Effective strategy stressed to curb smog

LAHORE: Smog is a global issue and there is a need to adopt carpooling system to reduce toxic effects of smoke. Asthma, heart, nose, ear and throat diseases are on the rise due to smog.

These views were expressed by discussants at Jang Economic Session on ‘smog impacts on social and economic lives’. The panellists were Dr Asim Mehmood, Abbadur Rehman, Dr Sammar Asim, Dr Arshad Hamayon and Shahid Abbas while the session was moderated by Sikindar Lodhi. Dr Asim Mehmood said smog was not a new phenomenon rather a global problem which was the result of combination of smoke and fog known as London Smog for a long time. He observed that pollution and smog can be reduced by using better quality petrol and promoting tree plantation, adding the present government is focusing on the issue.

Effective public transport system is also essential to avoid smog, he said and suggested adopting a car pooling system to reduce smoke toxic effect. London-style rush charges law can reduce number of vehicles on roads. Attention should be paid to setting up waste energy plants like in Denmark and no such project should be allowed to fall victim to politics, he said. Abbadur Rehman said smog often intensifies in late October and November due to rice crop harvesting as leftovers were burned in fields to prepare for new crop.

Only farmers should not be held responsible for it alone as toxic emissions from industries and kilns are also equally contributing to air pollution, he said and added Lahore is adjacent to Indian Punjab and smog intensifies here as rice crop in India first ripened which can lead to serious human health problems due to burning of harmful particles in air. He said strict crop burning laws and fines significantly improved the situation. Farmers were not provided guidance and subsidy for the use of modern machinery and efficient composers of crops leftover instead of burning crops, he said. Dr Sammar Asim said intensified smog aggravates problem for asthma patients and increases other respiratory problems. He said patients should be vaccinated against corona and other diseases and stay homes and use masks. He said the government should ensure use of high quality petrol to reduce air pollution and create awareness and ensure implementation of laws.

Dr Arshad Hamayon said smog was an invisible pollution which causes diseases including asthma, respiratory problems and lung cancer and premature deaths. He said impact of smog was reduced during Covid lockdown as industry and transport were closed. He called for adopting effective strategies to reduce industrial pollution to keep industry operational. He said imposing heavy fines on industries was not the solution rather there should be an access to latest environmental friendly technology. The solution to all the problems will be possible by making the management effective, he said. Shahid Abbas said smog was the combination of fog and smoke. Smog intensifies with growing pollution. It is not necessary that the intensity of smog be the same every year. Fog will increase, smog will increase and its intensity will decrease in case of rain but weather will remain the same for next ten to twelve days after which the situation is expected to improve, he said.