ISLAMABAD – The first of its kind air pollution smog looming in Pakistanhas 70 per cent contribution in its environmental degradation fromneighbouring country India. The heterogeneous phenomenon of dark carbonparticles, vehicular and industrial emissions combined with fog in winterseason creates smog.
Talking to this agency, Environmental specialist of Ministry of ClimateChange Muhammad Saleem said that Indian farmers were burning their cropresidue after harvesting Kharif season crops, which results into massivesmoke outburst, hence was the main reason of smog in Pakistan. “Pakistan’sown contribution to smog phenomenon is quite minimal as India owing to itsmassive size is number four global polluter of the world in terms of carbonemissions. India is also jeopardizing regional environment with itstrans-boundary pollution adding to the prevailing climate change impact,”he added.
To a question, he said Pakistan despite its negligible contribution toglobal environmental pollution has taken firm steps to make the countrysmog resilient. The ministry has successfully implemented Zigzag technologyin brick kilns of the country and also ensured their closure within theprescribed time period of winter season.
“The ministry was also in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs totake up the issue for a dialogue with India on their uninhibitedcontribution in smog as it was a social and economic issue not only forPakistan, rather for her nation as well,” he added. He informed that theMinistry of Climate Change has amicably addressed the situation andidentified key components of smog generation in the country other thanconventional sources namely brick kilns. “As many as 20,000 brick kilns areworking across the country,” he added.
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Most of the brick kiln owners are using plastic bags, old shoes andhackneyed leather goods to fire the furnace for preparing bricks whichcreates excess of dark smoke emissions and causes large amount of fuelconsumption, he said. He said the ministry had successful dialogue with thebrick kiln owners who were sensitized about their contribution to theserious environmental issue.
“The brick kiln owners were shocked to realize the fact and convinced bythe ministry to convert their brick producing units into zigzag brick kilntechnology,” Saleem informed. He told the alternate zigzag brick kilntechnology have been introduced to convert firing kilns whereas theconversion process is gradually proceeding across the country. “The zigzagfiring kiln was a continuous, cross draught, moving fire kiln in which theair flows in a zigzag path due to the draught provided by a chimney,” heexplained.
