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Lahore Smog Crisis: The provincial caretaker government has sought the expertise of Chinese environmental specialists to address the issue of smog, particularly in the city. The consequences of thick fog disrupted air, rail, and road traffic in Punjab on Thursday.
A total of 14 domestic flights were canceled, while 18 were rescheduled; additionally, three international flights were redirected to other airports within the province due to poor visibility caused by the fog, as reported by officials.
The fog also impacted railway operations, leading to delays in the departure of trains such as the Karakoram Express and the Karachi Express, both departing later than their scheduled times.
Motorway authorities advised citizens to plan their journeys between 10 am and 6 pm, the optimal period during foggy weather.
Simultaneously, Chinese environmental experts presented a preliminary report outlining the factors contributing to smog in Lahore. These factors include the unnecessary use of organic and inorganic fuels, high atmospheric humidity, household dust and gas emissions, and pollutants from coal plants in India.
A delegation of Chinese environmental experts, led by Consul General Zhao Shirin, met with caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to discuss strategies for addressing the smog issue. The Chinese experts emphasized the importance of understanding the factors that make smog harmful to health, stating that resolving the problem would take time, drawing parallels to China’s successful control efforts over seven years.
Read Also: Smog Health Impact: The 10 Alarming Health Effects You Need to Know
The provincial government plans to implement a second round of artificial rain later this month to alleviate smog levels in Lahore. The first instance of artificial rain was employed last month, with planes equipped with cloud-seeding equipment targeting ten areas of the city. Lahore has consistently ranked as the most polluted city on the Air Quality Index (AQI) in recent weeks.
The UAE government provided support for the initial artificial rain initiative, reflecting its increasing use of cloud seeding to induce rain in arid regions.