LAHORE: Lingering impact of the monsoon system has saved the city of Lahore from severe attack of smog this October as it has kept the soil wet to restrict dust particles to the air and eventually converting into smog.

Sources from Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the monsoon moisture has been impacting the weather until the end of September which resulted into low temperature in day time. Generally, they said, the sunlight impacts heavily during the day hours due to strong sun until 10th of September and temperature touches 40C by the end of the month. However, the day time temperature stood around 35C during the month of September with a marginally high feel like impact.

According to the sources, dryness was likely to be increased had the day temperature touched 40C. However, lingering impact of moisture kept the soil wet and there was no heavy presence of dust particles in the air despite a drop in the intensity of sun by the start of the month of October.

Eventually, the city of Lahore found itself protected from smog, which was quite high during the corresponding period. Majority of the citizens had negotiated with seasonal diseases accordingly, which is rare this October.

In addition, heavy smog had led to widespread throat infection among the population of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Gujranwala and Sargodha divisions of the central Punjab. Heavy smog had prevailed throughout the five divisions of the province of Punjab during the first week of October last year because of a weak spell of westerly waves that had failed to bring desired amount of rain.

However, the district administration has taken ensured precautionary measures like the last year when online monitoring of 126 industrial units was carried out for controlling the smog. Close circuit TV cameras were installed on the chimneys and fuel tanks of the 305 industrial units, using boilers or finance oil to run their operations. The administration had also demolished 23 furnaces, which were involved in using tyres as a fuel to operate.

Shahid Abbas, Director PMD, while talking to Business Recorder confirmed the development, saying that the province of Punjab would remain safe from heavy attack of smog during the current season.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022