Effects of Smog in Pakistan and its Prevention |By Tabinda Saleem

Smog is a combination of two words smoke and fog. By the way, smog has existed in Pakistan for a long time. But nowadays it has taken a dangerous situation. Smog has become the biggest and grave problem of the present time. Some time, Earlier this problem was limited only to government institutions but now it is international level from a common man has reached. Due to human experiments in various fields of life, the earth’s atmosphere has become so poisonous and dangerous that if this process continues, there may soon come a time when the atmosphere will become so toxic to the extent that the possibility of biological life on earth  would be so difficult. Some politicians even say that life is the guest of the few years and the existence of man on earth is a miracle. This is a problem that not only under developing countries like Pakistan but also developed countries like America are worried about. This increase of smog is giving rise to many problems. The population of Pakistan is increasing by 3.5 million people every year, which is very dangerous. Slums are being built instead of green fields. Because of this, six lac houses are needed every year, thus 40 thousand acres of fertile agricultural land is consumed every year needs are met. Similarly, one of the main causes of smog is the smoke coming out of vehicles. The number of vehicles in our country has increased enormously. And these vehicles run on the roads  day and night .One hundred and eighty thousand barrels of oil, the import of which the government spends annually. People spend five billion rupees and blows it into smoke. And this smoke  increases  high quantity of smog dangerously due to which the risks of asthma, TB, lung diseases, cancer and nervous breakdown are greatly increased. One of the reasons for this is the people influx  from villages to cities. 30% of the rural population is now has moved to the cities. A large number of people living in cramped and dated houses in urban areas. There is a lack of health. In the cities, garbage heaps, waste, boiling sewers are polluting the urban environment badly. And a large number of people are living in the slums. The rapid cutting of forests is also the main cause of smog. In view of the enormous increase in population, forests have to be cut. Every year, 47 lakh children are born in the country, out of which 12 lakh children die due to inadequate health and sanitation facilities. They become dead.
Millions of tons of coal are burned in Pakistan every year and this coal is used in furnaces and engines. Pakistani coal has a high sulphur content which, after burning, acidifies the atmosphere and causes acid rain effects. So we have more air pollution due to high amount of sulphur. And due to the establishment of various industries where our needs are met, the smoke coming out of their chimneys causes smog. One of the main causes of smog is crop burning. People burn crops, which releases very dangerous smoke into the atmosphere. Due to the accumulation of black smoke in the atmosphere, smog has reached Pakistan in large quantities. The situation of smog is very serious in Pakistan.  Currently, Multan is at the first place in terms of smog and Lahore is at the second place. Nowadays, the smog in Punjab is so dangerous that children in schools have been given leave from studying for a few days. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken and is taking very important steps to eliminate smog. Artificial rain has been arranged in Lahore, which will be possible with billions of rupees. In addition, brick kilns have also been closed. All the hotels are closed after 10 pm and bar B Q, Smok omitting vehicles are also being banned. Similarly, crop burning is banned and there are heavy fines and penalties. Similarly, if all factories are moved away from cities, away from population. It should be made by giving an alternative place. And the cutting of trees should be banned. So the smog will be stopped. Substantial results can be achieved but it is not the work of a day or a few months. It may take years to control it. But if it goes on these lines and people are also made aware and we all work together to make our country a smog-free zone, then inshallah our country will become smoke-free very soon.

(The author is a freelance columnist and Deputy Director of Information Rawalpindi Division)