Smog now a health crisis in Punjab: minister Marriyum Aurangzeb

As Punjab grapples with hazardous smog, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb declared on Friday that the issue had now turned into a “health crisis”.

Dense smog, caused by toxic pollutants, has engulfed several cities in Punjab over the past few weeks, with Lahore and Multan being the worst hit. The AQI reading in Multan has already crossed 2,000 twice, setting a new record for air pollution.

This rise in pollution has turned the air toxic, impacting the health of people across all age groups. In a month, Punjab has seen almost two million cases of breathing problems and other respiratory diseases, with a surge in complaints of asthma, conjunctivitis, and heart disease as well.

Yesterday, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Lahore ranked as the most polluted city in the world, peaking at 1,591 at 10am.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore today, Aurangzeb said: “At the moment, the smog [crisis] has turned into a health crisis.

“Smog is one aspect of climate change,” she said, highlighting that the Punjab government prepared a 10-year climate change policy for the first time, which covered various issues, such as floods, natural disasters, rehabilitation, recovery, and vulnerable areas.

Referring to the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) calls for a long-term plan to tackle the issue, the minister said: “The Punjab chief minister has made a 10-year plan for smog, together with all sectors and departments, and the sectors were given targets.”

Aurangzeb said she would like to brief the LHC herself about the policy, noting that various factors contributing to smog included “transport, agriculture, energy, our habits, our behaviour and our actions towards nature”.

The minister thanked the civil society, nongovernmental organisations and private organisations for making suggestions to combat smog.

Referring to a letter written by WWF-Pakistan to Prime Minister Shehbaz, Aurangzeb claimed: “The things they have suggested are part of this mitigation plan for the past eight months. Every single thing.”

The plan, titled ‘Roadmap for Smog Mitigation in Punjab (2024-2025)’, says it details “Smog Mitigation Actions” taken from January to October this year.

The minister invited experts and organisations to identify gaps in it, asserting that the government would fill them.

However, the PML-N leader stressed: “This would not end in six months or a year. This is a long-term process but we have kept three-month targets.”

“It’s a long-term, short-term and medium-term plan,” she stated.

The PML-N leader also urged journalists and vloggers to “become part of the government” by creating awareness about smog. “Criticise [us] but also use that mic to create awareness about smog.”

She also praised Dawn Media Group’s Breathe Pakistan initiative.

Punjab official hints at ‘complete lockdown’

Meanwhile, Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD) Secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar hinted at a “complete lockdown” if the current smog situation persisted.

“In the coming days, we are seriously considering closing colleges and universities because it is also possible that we go for a complete lockdown,” he told Geo News.

“We are carefully looking at how things are unfolding,” he added.

According to the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI), the pollution of PM2.5 — fine particulate matter in the air that causes the most damage to health — increased by 25pc in 2024 compared to 2023. The average pollution level also went up by 23pc compared to last year.

According to experts, exposure to high levels of toxic pollutants not only causes respiratory diseases but also leads to life-altering problems like depression and impacts the growth of children. It also causes oxidative stress and inflammation in human cells and may lay the foundation for other serious diseases, including cancer.

The Punjab government has taken various measures to combat smog, including shutting schools, cracking down on vehicles emitting excessive smoke, and prohibiting barbecues and visits to recreational places.

Actions taken to combat smog

In her press conference, Aurangzeb also highlighted various actions that the Punjab government was taking as part of the smog mitigation plan.

These included the distribution of 1,000 super-seeders at a 60 per cent subsidy — an alternative to stubble-burning, which is termed a major contributor to smog.

“Farmers have also begun renting them, which is very good,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the provincial government was aiming to distribute 5,000 super-seeders next year.

The PML-N minister also highlighted that emission control systems (ECS) have been fitted in industries: “A loan scheme has been started so that they can take loans from us and have ECS fitted.

“More than 90 small and medium industries have obtained them using that loan. […] The smoke rising from their chimneys comes via camera into our monitoring room,” she added.

Aurangzeb also said that more than 800 brick kilns have been demolished so far, instead of just sealing them as in the past as they “used to start operating again”.

The minister also noted that while Lahore’s forest cover should be 36pc as per international standards, it was only 3pc currently. To work towards that goal, implementation of Lahore’s “Green Master Plan” was underway, she added.

Detailing measures taken to curb pollution caused by vehicles, the PML-N leader said there was now an infrastructure in place for fitness certification of vehicles, as opposed to only fining and impounding them.

“Thirty gas analysers have been received and given to the traffic police, which will check vehicle transmissions.”

Aurangzeb claimed that the Environmental Protection Agency did not have surveillance squads or AQI monitors, which she said were later provided by the incumbent Punjab government.

‘E-buses to ply Punjab roads by June’

Separately, as the LHC resumed hearing applications filed against smog, Advocate General of Punjab Khalid Ishaq informed the court that electric buses would be rolled out across Punjab before June next year.

During the hearing, presided over by Justice Shahid Karim, Ishaq said: “We have allocated a budget for running electric buses in Punjab. These buses would be on the roads before June next year.”

Justice Karim sought implementation reports on measures to combat smog in the next hearing, which was adjourned till next week.

During the hearing, Ishaq asserted: “The Punjab government is working seriously regarding the smog situation.

We are also taking steps regarding food security,“ the advocate general said.

He said the government was also trying to steps to deal with any flood situation in the province, highlighting: “We are also taking steps to conserve rainwater.”

Justice Karim instructed Ishaq to discuss a “long-term policy” on smog once Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has returned from her visit abroad, reiterating his previous call for a 10-year policy.

CM Maryam is currently visiting her father, former premier Nawaz Sharif, in London after a medical trip to Switzerland.

Justice Karim remarked that the Punjab government should announce that agricultural land should not be used to construct housing societies.

“We are working on the Land Acquisition Act,” the advocate general replied.

The judge also called on the government to plant as many trees as possible which conserves water. He further said the installation of water treatment plants in houses bigger than ten marlas should be made mandatory.

“Work for the urban forest has started and will report to the court in March,” Ishaq assured the court.

He said that the government was not just taking measures, but also improving them by monitoring.