Contrary to the popular belief and the statistics available regarding smog and air pollution crippling the entire province of Punjab, the information gathered by Bol News has proved that the same hazards have been posing serious threat to health of people in Karachi and other urban areas.
In view of the increasing pollution in the province, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) also swung into actions to curb them, especially after the environmental experts urged the government to take measures to check and control the growing menace.
“Both air pollution and smog bring about serious complications and also pose health hazards to all specially to old people and children who contain less immunity level. They cause diseases such as different allergies, flue, cough, throat infection, asthma, chest-cum-lung problems. On top of that, it also causes more complications to patients of the Covid-19,” said ENT Specialist Prof Dr Rafique Qaimkhani while speaking to Bol News.
He said that if the government is successful in controlling these environmental risks, people could get rid of such nasal and throat infection to a great extent and their health budget could definitely be reduced.
“Poor quality of air and air pollution have also been scaling up deadly coronavirus Covid-19 cases, people who live in polluted cities are unable to inhale pure air and when they are down with Covid-19, they fall seriously ill specially in urban areas because of one of this reason,” environmental expert Nasir Panhwar said and added that that the government should take strict actions to nip this in the bud.
He stressed the need for introducing mass transport system and installing clean production system in factories with a view to controlling emissions and improving air quality. He said that air pollution posed a serious threat to health of people as they are suffering from respiratory diseases such as lungs and asthma.
“There are two main kinds of air pollution including emission of vehicular traffic and industries, while smog also makes lives of people miserable in Lahore and other cities during winter season,” he said.
While boosting air pollution control in Karachi, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) Director General Naeem Ahmed Mughal pleaded for taking pre-emptive measures for reduction of air pollution in Karachi on a war footing before the hazards reach the no-return point.
“All-out efforts are being made to reduce pulmonary/respiratory lung diseases affecting the citizens of the metropolis. All public and private sector organisations are being engaged and motivated to increase and strengthen green cover through tree plantation campaigns to check air pollution and climate change issues in the city. I have evolved a fruitful strategy to curb air quality monitoring held earlier at around 100 locations in Karachi where alarming levels of particulate matter 2.5 in air quality have already been witnessed. This level of particulate matter is taking a heavy toll on lungs of people just like a gunshot,” he said.
He said vehicular emission testing would immediately be resumed in major cities of Sindh, while focusing on Karachi with the assistance of Sindh traffic police. He stressed that the agency teams will monitor the installed heavy generators placed on footpaths or rooftops of commercial areas simultaneously in each district of the port city. “Teams are in coordination with all land-owning organisations and district municipal corporations (DMCs), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to carry out crackdown against dust pollution on major roads to conduct sweeping, sprinkling activities and preparation of traffic management plans.
The DG further said that the Sepa district heads would check all air pollution related issues, including burning of solid waste and control of smoke emanating from barbecue restaurants which release heavy amounts of carbon monoxide. “The barbecue outlets which would be allowed to operate would have to install smoke catching equipment.”
“We are taking all stakeholders on board including port authorities, Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD), transport association, industries department, transport department, traffic police, National Highway Authority (NHA),” he said.
“The motorway police would be engaged to provide support to the agency for controlling air pollution in the city. He said that the agency teams would take actions against all industrial and manufacturing units operating boilers on coal and other fossil fuels releasing pollutants in the environment, while causing significant contributing towards degradation of air quality.
“Recently, more than 40 complaints were registered against industrial emissions, prosecuted and imposed penalty against 27 industrial units by the Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT) of the SEPA in order to control industrial emission in various industrial zones of Karachi,” SEPA deputy director Muneer Abbasi said.
Sharing details about recent actions, he said that EPT took action against the municipal authorities for burning solid waste and prosecuted Clifton Cantonment Board, imposing fines of Rs 10,000 and more. The EPT also prosecuted district municipal corporations (DMCs) Korangi, Central and East Karachi regarding the open burning of garbage, he said adding that the EPT also prosecuted Sindh Solid Waste Management Board against the burning and dumping of solid waste in various locations of Karachi districts.
He said that the environmental protection orders (EPO) were issued to furniture market shopkeepers against the release of chemical fumes, especially in the posh residential area of PECHS Society in Karachi.
The SEPA teams, in coordination with Sindh traffic police, carried out vehicular emission testing at dozens of spots in the metropolis, while implementing the Provincial Motor Vehicle (Amended) Act 2015. A number of vehicles were examined, challaned and fined.
Besides, the SEPA took series of actions in this regard, stopping illegal storage of coal at Hawksbay Road, Keamari, illegal burning of old batteries to extract lead at Ittehad Town, burning of electronic waste at Mewashah, stopping manufacturing of zinc oxide and plastic recycling industries, closure of 100 kilns of old shoes and rubber at Hassan Brohi village and other adjoining places..The gency stopped illegal process of extraction of oil, soap and feed from organs of dead animals in Malir and conducted a heavy crackdown against improper storage of coal at the Maripur Road.
On the directives of the SEPA, around 70 industrial units installed air emission control system (cyclone separators or dust catchers) to curb air pollution in Larkana, Mirpurkhas; two coal fired power projects, three larger cement units, three sugar mills and various power, fertilizer, food, chemical units ensured installments of air pollution abatement equipments (electrostatic precipitator).
