Preparing for smog

In the early days of Pakistan, we did not have the luxury of Sui gas. I still remember my mother cooking on coals and wood which were burnt in iron stoves and gave off a lot of smoke in the confinements of rather small kitchens as in those days fashionable kitchens with latest gadgets and wide open spaces with shelves housing all known spices and condiments were rare if not totally unavailable.

A familiar sight in all neighbourhoods were the coal and wood suppliers, popularly known as “Taal” and dispensing wood and coal as desired by their customers. These “Taals” did a roaring business as what they were dispensing was much in demand, mainly due to the fact that in most households food was cooked twice a day.

Yes, traditionally lunch was cooked in the early hours of the morning and then dinner which was cooked later in the evening. Fresh food twice a day was common and obviously led to greater use of wood and coal. Such regular and indiscriminate use of wood and coal that gave out at times large bursts of smoke had its hazards and victims.

My mother was one of them who died of cancer after spending many hours in the kitchen surrounded by smoke and not realizing how dangerous and life-threatening it can be. It was also early days in the field of cancer and its treatment and there were no sophisticated machines and treatments available except some radiation therapy at Jinnah Hospital.

Today while there are sophisticated machines and treatments available the smoke and pollution which was confined to the kitchen has spread in the neighbourhood and in our cities like Lahore, which now leads in atmospheric pollution to most of the cities of the world. This is now famously known as “smog” and governments around the world, including Pakistan, are struggling to come to grips with this menacing phenomenon.

So what is smog and how does it impact us? Vehicle emissions and the emissions from industries, as well as the burning of wood and coal together with the build-up of certain weather conditions, are the main causes of smog. In case of Lahore and adjoining areas, coal burned by thousands of brick kilns spread over the region is one of the main contributors to these deadly clouds.

According to the Punjab government, the burning of waste by farmers across the border is also contributing greatly to the smog in Lahore and attempts are being made to approach the Indian government to jointly find a solution to this problem, which is affecting the lives of the people on both sides of the border.

Actually, the problem is linked to weather conditions and currently the weather conditions are conducive to maintain smog in its present condition. There are also preparations by the Punjab government to intervene in nature by resorting to artificial rain.

They are inspired by the example of a Middle Eastern country, which induced artificial rain through cloud seeding. It might be a good idea, but it has never been tried in Pakistan before, so it needs to be thoroughly researched before we interfere with our climate.

So what about Karachi and smog? The city has not reached the levels of pollution as in Lahore but according to various reports our air has reached a high level of pollution and is currently unhealthy for groups that are sensitive to such changes in air quality.

People are advised not to spend much time outside in the open if they feel any symptoms or throat irritation. Already, due to the prevalence of various diseases people are advised to wear masks when they go out. This is good advice as this will save them not only from diseases but also air pollution.

The smog experience in Lahore has demonstrated the negative effect of smog on education. Schools have been shut down for long periods. It reflects the long-term negative effects of smog and the necessity to find an answer to this problem as soon as possible. Other cities that have not been affected so far should also be on their guard and learn from the experience of Lahore to make long-term plans to avoid smog and its negative consequences.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024