Most of Punjab remains under thick cover of fog, smog

Most cities in Punjab remained under a heavy layer of fog and smog on Saturday. 

Visibility decreased to zero on many sections on different motorways in the province. As a result, the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (M-11) was closed for all types of traffic. 

Later, the Lahore-Multan Motorway (M3) was also closed for traffic from Lahore to Durkhana when visibility decreased to zero.

M4 Motorway was closed from Gojra to Abdul Hakeem due to heavy fog and smog. Shorkot and Abdul Hakeem interchanges were also closed for traffic. Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M2) was closed from Lahore to Kot Momin due to heavy fog and smog. 

According to the National Highways & Motorways Police (NH&MP), the motorways have been closed for the safety of people. The NH&MP spokesperson advised people to avoid unnecessary travelling and travel at daytime instead of night or morning if inevitable. He said that drivers should go slower and use fog lights while travelling. He said that drivers should call the helpline 130 in case of any emergency.

Smog continued to haunt the residents of Lahore on Saturday. With the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 766, the City of Gardens again topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities. 

In Narowal and its surroundings, smog and fog turned everything murky.   

Upper parts of the country receive rain

However, there was an improvement in air quality in the upper parts of the country, including the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, from where moderate to heavy rainfall was reported.   

It rained cats and dogs in Upper Dir and some other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), while it snowed over the mountains.   

Rain was also reported in central Punjab cities, including Jhang. 

On Friday, the Punjab government said that districts in upper Punjab namely Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang and Gujar Khan had received artificial rain.

“A seed clouding technique was used for the purpose,” it informed. 

The Met Office confirmed the provincial government’s statement.  

At 2:00 PM on Friday, teams used a cloud seeding technique, producing artificial rain in these areas.

Experts hoped that the rain would also help reduce smog in Lahore.  

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz congratulated all relevant institutions, scientific experts on the successful experiment of artificial rain.

Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said artificial rain was tested last year with the support of the United Arab Emirates but this time the government successfully experimented it using local expertise and technology. 

5,700 asthma patients visit Lahore hospitals in one day

Smog has become a nightmare for the residents of Lahore and other cities of Punjab as more and more people suffering from eye, throat and chest infections are landing at hospitals.

As per the figures released on Saturday, 5,700 asthma patients while 303 people suffering from eye infections visited Lahore’s hospitals during the last 24 hours.

Overall, 80,000 people are now asthmatic across Punjab due to exposure to extremely poor air quality, while the number of people suffering from eye infections in the province has risen to 627.

CBD suspends construction activities

On the instructions of the Lahore High Court (LHC) and to make the government of Punjab’s efforts to reduce smog, the CBD has suspended construction activities at different project sites. 

CBD CEO Imran Amin has said that the department is fully supporting the provincial government’s efforts for a reduction in air pollution.        

Amin has also said that the CBD staffers also sprinkle water on the project sites.

He has informed that the development projects being completed under the supervision of the CBD are near completion. 

Work on the most important Walton Road upgradation project is in its final stages, the official has said, adding, “Major Ishaq Shaheed Flyover will also be opened for traffic soon.”