Efforts on to functionalise three air quality stations in Lahore till June

Islamabad: The climate change ministry has decided to speed up efforts along with stakeholders to functionalise three air quality stations in Lahore till June next year.

According to the details, the officials of the climate change ministry have recently held talks with the provincial authorities and now it has been decided that work on three out of eight proposed air quality stations would be completed by the middle of next year.

An official said five remaining air quality stations would be set up after obtaining funds from the World Bank, adding “The establishment of these air quality stations will greatly help monitor air quality and smog in the province.”

He revealed that they are not getting a clear picture of smog because there are only two stations in Lahore that are not able to fully monitor the air quality of the city. The official said the recent survey showed that vehicular traffic is causing 40 percent smog in Lahore so it could be reduced with better traffic management and plans.

He also shared the information that the majority of brick kilns have adopted zig-zag technology but they are not using blowers due to high prices of electricity. Similarly, he said that the steel mills are also not using scrubbers to control their electricity bills due to which they are still contributing to form smog in the city.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said that the NASA report has shown that 95 percent of stubble burning is done in India that pollutes the air of whole the region.

“We are taking measures to control smog but it is necessary that our neighbouring country should also come up with an effective plan to stop stubble burning otherwise it will be difficult to address this issue,” he said.