AIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING -1

NAME MEESUM HUSSAIN

YEAR THIRDYEAR

BATCH 2012-2013

TOPIC AIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE

Table of contents
POLLUTION.................................................................................. 3
AIR POLLUTION .......................................................................... 3
AIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE.................................................... 3
CAUSES OFAIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE .............................. 4
LAHORE SMOG ........................................................................... 5
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT LAHORE ................................. 7
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ......................... 7
POLLUTION
Pollution can be defined as the interference of the foreign substances into
the environment that causes the adverse changes in the natural environment.

Pollution can be in the form of chemicals or energy , such as heat, noise, and
light. The cause of the pollution are the pollutants, that can occur naturally or
can be manmade(anthropogenic).

AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is the contamination of air by the introduction of the foreign substances in
the atmosphere . It can also be defined as the contamination of air either chemically,
physically or biologically which may effect the human and the organisms.

Air pollution is the main cause of the some serious disease including respiratory
infections, COPD, lung cancer, heart disease. Health effects that air pollution can
cause may include wheezing, coughing, difficulty in breathing etc.

Important chemical pollutants that are emitted by the vehicles on the land include
Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate matters (PM),
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Smoke is form when PM mixed with the Chemical gases ,
which when inhaled may cause respiratory problems.

AIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE

Air pollution in Lahore, now a days has become a serious threat to the life of the
people of Lahore, it is the quickly increasing environmental problem in the
country, As Lahore become the polluted metropolis of the country. Highly
inefficient energy use, which accelerated the number increasing in the vehicle
population and kilometers traveled daily basis, industrialization is also the cause
of air pollution in Lahore , as the industries emit hazardous gases without
adequate treatment of the gases, open burning of the solid waste including
plastic, burning of coal, and use of the ODS (ozone depletion substances are
some of the major reasons of worsening of ambient air quality in Lahore. Lahore
is second biggest city of Pakistan having population more than ten million.
Excessive population, shortage of funds for development especially municipal
services, illiteracy, vehicular pollution because of substandard fuels, industry
within city and without emission control systems, ineffective EPA and overall
POVERTY is the cause of severe environmental pollution in Lahore.

CAUSES OFAIR POLLUTION IN LAHORE

 Vehicular smoke

 Industrial Activities
 Burning of Solid Waste

If we look around the city Lahore, we see that from Data Darbar to the railway
station, the environment all around is highly polluted , which is mainly because of
motorcycle rickshaws and two-stroke rickshaws.

According to the environmental department of Lahore, two-stoke rickshaws are

causing 65% of the total vehicular pollution in the city. Nitrogen dioxide,
Sulphur dioxide, lead and Carbon monoxide are the main pollutants due to
heavy traffic that moves around the city.

LAHORE SMOG
Every year, during the month of December, a thick fog descends upon Lahore,
blocking out the winter sunshine, closing off the motorway after dusk and
preventing flights from landing at the international airport at night.

The problem is becoming serious over the last six years due to high levels of
pollution and poor air quality in Lahore, due to vehicular smoke and industrial
activities. Even during the summer months, there is now a photochemical smog
hanging over the Lahore , which is washed away by rain.
 According to Dr Qamar uz Zaman Chaudhry, national climate change expert and
former Director General of Pakistan’s Meteorological Department, “The main
source of the pollutants in our lower atmosphere is Eastern Punjab where all the
coal based industries are centered (across the border in India). Of course, we have
added our share of the pollutants as well from factory and car emissions.”

The places near the irrigation lands, rice paddies and rivers where the moisture is in
more quantity available, the thicker fog has seen. When it rains in the Lahore , smog
gets cleared and the lower layer of the atmosphere where all the harmful gases and
other pollutants are present, washes away.

The smog in the Lahore is caused by gaseous emission by vehicular exhaust which
when may mixed with dust or soot particles form a fog , and the fog is then triggered
by the temperature inversion .

Smoke particles intent in the fog give it a yellowish black color and this smog sometimes
stays over the Lahore for days causing reduction in visibility, which is one of the most
noticeable indicators of pollution in the atmosphere. It regularly occurs as a result of
smog that blurred the clarity, color, texture, and form of what people look at. Lahore
Airport remains close during long hours of smog disturbing schedule of national and
international flights to and from the city. Lahore Motorway (M 2) has to be closed.
Even railway schedule is affected.
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT LAHORE
Air pollution data that is collected by wealth health organization about Lahore
are as follows :

Particulate matter (10) 198

Particulate matter (2.5) 68
PM (10) Pollution Level Extremely high

Ambient Air quality in Lahore

City SO2 (ppb) NOx (ppb) CO (ppm) TSP (ug/m3)
Lahore 44.6 156.6 2.82 895

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

As the main cause of the Air pollution in Lahore in smoke emission from Vehicles,
so there is a need for a master action plan to address the critical situation of air
pollution in the city.

The environmental protection agencies and the transportation departments working in

the city Lahore should take serious actions in order to stop or reduce the emission of
hazardous gases in the environment through vehicles and industries.

According to the section 15 of the Pakistan environmental protection act 1997,

vehicles which produces air pollutants and noise beyond the limitation provided by
national environment quality department should be banned or not allowed. Two
stoke rickshaws should replaced with four stoke vehicles. Vehicles using diesel as
fuel should converted into alternative fuel (cng). Industries should charge as much
as the pollute the environment. More tree plantation around the city.