ISLAMABAD – For the first time in history, Punjab government to useArtifical Rain to reduce smog in provincial capital Lahore.
The prevailing situation of smog is taking a toll on the Punjab government,which seems to have no permanent solution to air pollution.
From criminalizing crop burning (a fundamental cause of smog) to shuttingdown brick kilns and closing schools, the provincial government has usedall the arrows in the quiver; but the problem persists.
Following the scattered rains on Thursday night and Friday morning, thesmog level in Lahore temporarily went down but reached a hazardous levelagain.——————————
This has forced the authorities to think of immediate and effectivemeasures to eradicate the situation. After meetings with CommissionerLahore Division Asif Bilal Lodhi, the officials have decided to useartificial rain to decrease the smog level in the provincial capital.
The meeting was attended by the CTO Lahore, Capt (r) Liaqat Ali, DGEnvironment Tanvir Warraich, Additional Commissioner Tariq Qureshi, ADCRLahore Safdar Virk, ACG Muhammad Jafar, and Secretary RTA Ghias-ud-Din. Allthe provincials DCs and ACs joined the meeting via video link.
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The Commissioner noted that smog had become a severe challenge for urbancities like Lahore, which require an immediate remedial strategy. AsifBilal said that there should be no compromise on people’s health and urgedall the departments, including traffic police, transport, and agriculture,to take concrete measures in this regard.——————————
He said that the authorities have started working on the idea of artificialrain, and it will be executed if the smog level goes out of control.
The commissioner highlighted that previously, 12 environmental teams wereworking for an anti-smog campaign in the provincial capital; the numberwill be tripled in the coming days.
