LAHORE: The average age of the citizens of Lahore has reduced by 2.7 years due to the rising phenomenon of smog, said National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR).
The NCHR was constituted through the National Commission for Human Rights Act, 2012. The Commission was created for the promotion of human rights according to the Constitution of 1973 and human rights instruments.
According to details, the Commission has taken suo motu notice of the rising pollution in the city and issued notices to the chief secretary Punjab, secretary industries for the federal government, secretary environment Punjab, and commissioner Lahore.
The head of the provincial chapter of the Commission Nadeem Ashraf said notices have been issued in the larger interest of the human rights of the citizens of the province, particularly the city of Lahore. He said the Commission would look into detail the measures taken by the government in overcoming the pollution.
It may be noted that the Lahore High Court is also pursuing the issue actively that has led to impressive improvement in the situation.
According to a recent meeting chaired by the chief secretary Punjab, representatives from the environment department have revealed that the pollution level has reduced by 30 percent compared with the last year due to the steps taken to control it.
It is also learnt that chief secretary has advised the department to share this improvement with the concerned quarters, particularly the industrialists at the platform of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which is always critic to the protective measures taken by the government to control pollution.
Meanwhile, sources from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has pointed out that the severe part of the smog season has passed through and the remaining one is likely to be subdued because of the fresh spell of westerly waves, which would bring about 25 millimeter rain in the upper parts and about 2 t0 5 millimeters rain in the plain areas of the province of Punjab.
It would take away dryness from the weather and dust would be settled down for the rest of the season with a drop of 2 degree Celsius in both maximum and minimum temperatures with the advent of winter season ahead. They have also predicted a cooler winter compared with the corresponding one.
It may be noted that the prolonged impact of the monsoon season had also played due role in keeping the soil wet in the province during the later part of September until the middle of the month of October.
Accordingly, the dust remained under control and it got dry only during the last fortnight of the month of October that led to heavy invasion of smog. Also, the wind direction was also towards Pakistan from India where the farmers are involved in stubble burning till date.
It was led to heavy inflow of smog in the city of Lahore but a change in the wind direction followed by the latest spell of westerly wave has overcome the situation and the city’s atmosphere has become much clear comparing with the last week.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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