LAHORE: At least 17 people have died in different smog-related incidents in Punjab, while the polluted haze has also resulted in outbreak of diseases in several cities of the province.

At least two people were killed and five injured on Friday when two truck collided near Harrappa, Sahiwal.

The prevailing smog in Punjab has been causing enough difficulties to the citizen, as they complain of breathing issue, throat infection and pneumonia. An increase in number of patients is being observed at hospitals, with particularly young and elderly people in majority among them.

During last 12 hours, as many as 1,200 patients visited hospitals due to smog-related emergencies. In Jinnah Hospital, 130 children and 30 senior citizens were brought to hospital's emergency.

Motorway reopened

The motorway - leading from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian and from Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad - has also been reopened after a brief closure as the visibility came down to zero on Thursday night. Authorities have advised the masses to travel at low speed and use fog lamps to avoid accidents.

Motorway authorities have advised people to travel and groups and maintain distance between cars.

Health advisory

Health experts have advised the people to avoid going out unnecessarily and recommended wearing masks and glasses while in open. It is further recommended that the heart patients should take steam regularly and avoid cold beverages.

'Rain expected'

Meanwhile, Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department Dr. Ghulam Rasool informed that a weak rain system will be entering Pakistan, resulting in light rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa and upper Punjab in next 24 hours, which will give a temporary relief to the citizens from smog.

Hospitals on alert

Advisor to Punjab CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said that if the smog situation persists, schools across Punjab can be closed. Speaking at a press conference along with the committee members, he said that hospitals are on alert all across the province.</s>ISLAMABAD (AP) — Heavy smog loaded with pollutants has covered several urban and rural areas in eastern Pakistan, prompting breathing problems, and causing more than 20 deaths in traffic accidents caused by poor visibility on highways, officials and a senior meteorologist said.



Several cities in Punjab province, including the provincial capital Lahore, have been engulfed in haze since earlier this week. Meteorologist Mohammad Hanid told The Associated Press that the smog is "very unusual and it contains toxic air."



He said the smog has caused irritation in residents' eyes and an increase in respiratory-related health problems.



Hanif said that along with Beijing and New Delhi, eastern Pakistan is now experiencing chronic smog caused largely by factory emissions and motor vehicle exhaust.



With scores of residents reporting respiratory problems and irritated eyes, doctors are advising residents to try to stay indoors and wear facemasks outside.



Saba Mumtaz, a medical specialist at the Shaukat Khanum Cancer hospital, said the smog is particularly dangerous for residents with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma.



Experts say increasing construction dust, burning of garbage, factory emissions and motor vehicle exhausts are all contributing factors to the phenomenon.



Since Monday, more than 20 people have been killed in smog-related traffic accidents in Punjab province. Police have been forced to close several stretches of the main highway that connects Punjab with the capital, Islamabad.</s>ISLAMABAD — A senior Pakistani meteorologist says heavy smog loaded with pollutants has covered the city of Lahore and elsewhere, causing breathing problems and disrupting normal traffic.

Mohammad Hanif said Saturday that several cities in eastern Pakistan have been engulfed in haze since earlier this week. He said the smog has caused irritation in residents' eyes and an increase in respiratory-related health problems.</s>Pollution levels on Saturday were the worst in the season so far.

Facing its worst spell of persistent smog in nearly two decades, the Capital’s air quality slipped to ‘hazardous’ levels on Saturday. Low wind speed and high moisture content ensured that the city remained blanketed in thick smog through the day.

According to Chandra Bhushan of the Centre for Science and Environment, pollution levels on Saturday were the worst in the season so far. Shockingly high levels of particulate matter (PM10 in the range of 900-1700 microgram per cubic metre: standard level is 100) and benzene (cancer causing agent) were recorded across the city.

For his part, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the high levels of smog had turned the Capital into a ‘gas chamber” and blamed stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana for the problem.

He said the Union government needs to intervene to mitigate the alarming levels of smog in the city.

For the first time perhaps, the three municipal corporations of Delhi closed schools under their jurisdiction, numbering around 1,700, due to the high levels of pollution.

Hazardous levels

 

 Real-time air quality index on Saturday evening showed ‘hazardous’ levels of air pollution across the city – IHBAS (420), Dwarka (400), Anand Vihar (999), Mandir Marg (692), R. K. Puram (633), Punjabi Bagh (765), IGI Airport (426) and ITO (669).

While 200-300 microgram per cubic metre is considered very unhealthy, 300+ is considered hazardous.

“It is a state of emergency. Emergency measures have to be put in place. The city has to be shut down…no vehicles should be on the roads, institutions and polluting industries within the city have to be closed down,’’ said Chandra Bhushan.

Anumita Roychowdhury of CSE said: “Given the fact that severe smog has been persisting for so long, there is a demand for emergency response and need for aggressive action.”

Many people in the city complained of irritation in the eyes and breathing problems because of the smog. Suman Vasishta, investment banker and a resident of Janakpuri, said: “I have never had any respiratory problems so far, but because of the heightened pollution levels I have developed a persistent cough. Much like the rest of the city, I am forced to live and carry on my daily routine in this hazardous atmosphere.’’

Doctors advice

 

 Meanwhile, doctors have caution that particulate matter can cause respiratory diseases if one is exposed to unsafe levels for prolonged periods. They have advised people to avoid outdoor physical activities when the air quality is rated “severe”, like it was this morning. People with heart or lung diseases, older adults and children have also been advised to remain indoors and keep activity levels low.</s>UP in smoke:A farmer burns paddy stubble in Bakshiwal village on the outskirts of Patiala in Punjab.Photo: Special Arrangement

Delhi Chief Minister requests intervention of Centre; Union Minister calls Environment Ministers of neighbouring States for a meeting

The Capital has turned into a ‘gas chamber’ due to the alarming level of smog, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday as he primarily blamed stubble burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana for the problem. Mr. Kejriwal also said that the Centre needs to intervene to tackle the problem.

“Pollution has increased to an extent that Delhi resembles a gas chamber. Prima facie the biggest reason seems to be burning of stubble in agricultural fields in Haryana and Punjab in huge quantity,” Mr. Kejriwal said in a press conference on Saturday.

Mr. Kejriwal said that measures such as odd-even restriction on vehicular movement will not be able to bring down the alarming levels of smog as initial studies suggest that the situation has been aggravated due to influx of pollutant-laden smoke from Punjab and Haryana, caused by stubble burning.

The CM also met Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave later in the day and requested that the Chief Ministers of the neighbouring States should be called for a meeting to find a solution to the problem. Mr. Dave said a meeting of State Environment Ministers will be held on Monday.

Mr. Kejriwal said that farmers needed to be given some alternatives and incentives to dissuade them from indulging in the traditional practise of stubble burning. He said the Delhi government has very few methods at its disposal and the Centre must intervene.

Few reports have put the volume of stubble being burned at around 16-20 million tonnes, Mr. Kejriwal said. He added that burning of firecrackers during Diwali marginally added to the pollution levels and farm fires are actually largely to blame for the situation.

Mr. Kejriwal said that the main sources of pollution inside the Capital are emissions from vehicles, dust, and garbage burning.

He also said that the Delhi government will be hiring an external agency soon to study the sources of pollution in Delhi.

Delhi resembles a gas chamber. Prima facie the biggest reason seems to be burning of stubble in Haryana and Punjab</s>helpless:A peacock was rescued from Siri Fort Sports Complex after it flew into a window and injured itself. It had become disoriented due to the smog.photo: special arrangement

The smog that has engulfed the Capital since Diwali is causing distress not only to Delhiites but countless animals too.

A peacock was rescued by the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit from Siri Fort Sports Complex earlier this week. Authorities say the peacock had flown into the area from the nearby forest early in the morning and had bumped into a window because of poor visibility caused by heavy smog.

“Visibility in the area is very low due to smog. The peacock was unable to discern the glass barrier and hit the window. The bird is disoriented and is in trauma. We are giving it necessary treatment and keeping it under observation,” a member of the Wildlife SOS Rescue Team said.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said: “The city has been wrapped up in a thick, black, poisonous cloud of smoke since the night of Diwali. Not only is this extremely harmful for humans, but animals are also at the receiving end. The peacock could have had worse injuries and could have died. We have received many more calls to rescue wild animals in distress because of this smog.”

The group has appealed to Delhiites to be more sensitive to the plight of animals and avoid bursting crackers, which cause a lot of disturbance and discomfort to both people and animals.

Peacocks are often sighted in residential areas near forested regions and green belts within the Capital.The peacock ( Pavo cristasus) is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The city has been wrapped up in a poisonous cloud of smoke since Diwali. It is extremely harmful for humans and animals</s>Commenting upon Haryana Assembly’s unanimous resolution condemning Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his recent remarks on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday asserted that irrespective of any resolution, Punjab will not spare “even a drop” of its water for any other State.

Sukhbir, who is also the president of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab, said his party stood committed “to save the State’s waters and safeguard the interests of its people”.

“Even if Haryana adopts any kind of a resolution, we will not allow a drop of our water to flow into other states,” he said, endorsing his father’s stand on the issue.

“Punjab’s economy is agri-based and it cannot afford to compromise on its waters which are the lifeline of agriculture,” the deputy Chief Minister told reporters here.

He brushed aside the suggestion that a stiff Akali stance on the issue could affect its alliance with the BJP as Haryana was ruled by the saffron party.

“Our alliance with the BJP is rock solid. We will contest and win the upcoming Punjab polls together and form the government for a record third consecutive time,” Mr Badal said.

He claimed that the SAD-BJP combine will “sweep” the Punjab polls, while the Congress and the AAP will “lick the dust at the hustings”.

Addressing the gathering at a free eye and cancer check up camp organised by a UK-based NRI, he lauded the contribution of NRIs, especially those who hailed from Doaba, in developing their native villages. The Haryana Assembly had on Friday unanimously passed a resolution, condemning Parkash Singh Badal’s recent statement that Punjab or Punjabis will not accept any verdict against the interest of the State regarding river waters and were ever ready to make any sacrifice to safeguard their legitimate share to it.

He had said this while addressing a public gathering in Amritsar on November 1 on the occasion of the 50th year of Punjabi Suba celebrations, in the presence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP chief Amit Shah. - PTI
At least 15 people are killed in an outbreak of heavy smog in the Pakistani province of Punjab.