SUMMARY of the Article “Battlefield Lahore,” Editorial, Dawn [Published on December 15th, 2023]
Lahore grapples with an ongoing severe smog crisis, maintaining its position as one of the world’s most polluted cities. Recent hazardous fog led to an Air Quality Index in two areas five times higher than safe levels, posing significant health risks to vulnerable residents. Children and adults face daily health issues such as persistent cough, breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and headaches. The crisis results from vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning, and ineffective waste management. Lahore’s annual average PM2.5 level is a staggering 269, nearly 27 times higher than the WHO-recommended level of 10. This environmental crisis has evolved into a humanitarian disaster, underscoring the government’s failure to address the prolonged health emergency. The Punjab HEC’s recommendation to adopt the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) program, inspired by the US model, is commendable. However, addressing the root causes requires stringent regulations on industrial emissions, sustainable farming practices, modernization of all brick kilns, and promotion of public transportation to reduce vehicular emissions. Public awareness about the health impacts of air pollution is crucial, emphasizing the need for decisive and immediate government action. Mere platitudes and partial measures are insufficient; a comprehensive environmental strategy, including the implementation of RECLAIM, is imperative to ensure clean air for Lahore’s citizens.
Easy/Short SUMMARY:
Lahore faces an intense smog crisis, ranking among the world’s most polluted cities. Recent hazardous fog significantly elevated health risks, particularly for vulnerable residents experiencing daily issues. The crisis, resulting from vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning, and poor waste management, has escalated into a humanitarian disaster. Despite the Punjab HEC’s commendable recommendation to adopt the RECLAIM program, inspired by the US model, addressing root causes demands stringent regulations, sustainable farming, brick kiln modernization, and enhanced public transportation. Urgent government action, including public awareness and a comprehensive environmental strategy, is essential to combat the crisis and ensure clean air for Lahore.
SOLUTIONS of The Problem:
1. Adopting RECLAIM Program:
- Implement the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) program, inspired by the US model, to reduce emissions through a cap-and-trade system.
2. Regulating Industrial Emissions:
- Enforce stringent regulations on industrial emissions to curb a significant contributor to air pollution in Lahore.
3. Sustainable Farming Practices:
- Encourage and mandate sustainable farming practices to reduce the impact of crop burning on air quality.
4. Modernizing Brick Kilns:
- Initiate a comprehensive modernization plan for all brick kilns, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.
5. Promoting Public Transportation:
- Promote and incentivize the use of public transportation to reduce vehicular emissions in Lahore.
6. Public Awareness Campaign:
- Launch a robust public awareness campaign to educate residents about the health impacts of air pollution and ways to reduce personal exposure.
7. Comprehensive Environmental Strategy:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive environmental strategy addressing all aspects contributing to air pollution in Lahore.
8. Government Action:
- The government must act decisively and immediately, moving beyond platitudes and half-measures to combat the smog crisis effectively.
IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the Article:
- Air Quality Index (AQI) Increase in Lahore: Five times higher than safe levels.
- Annual PM2.5 Level in Lahore: 269, nearly 27 times higher than the WHO-recommended level of 10.
MCQs from the Article:
- What is the current status of Lahore in terms of air pollution?
A. Least polluted city
B. One of the world’s most polluted cities
C. Moderately polluted
D. No data provided -
What does the Punjab HEC recommend to address air pollution in Lahore?
A. Implementing local initiatives
B. Adopting the RECLAIM program
C. Increasing vehicular traffic
D. Ignoring the issue -
What is the annual average PM2.5 level in Lahore according to the article?
A. 5 (lower than WHO recommendation)
B. 269 (27 times higher than WHO recommendation)
C. 15 (slightly higher than WHO recommendation)
D. 100 (ten times higher than WHO recommendation) -
What is the primary cause of Lahore’s smog crisis, according to the article?
A. Excessive rainfall
B. Forest fires
C. Vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning, and ineffective waste management
D. High winds -
What does the article emphasize regarding government action?
A. Maintain the current approach
B. Act decisively and immediately
C. Delegate responsibility to local authorities
D. Continue with platitudes and half-measures
VOCABULARY:
- Ineptitude (noun) (نااہلی): Lack of skill or ability.
- Perilous (adjective) (خطرناک): Full of danger or risk.
- Cocktail (noun) (ککٹیل): A mixture of various elements.
- Humanitarian (adjective) (انسانیت پرست): Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare.
- Cap-and-Trade System (noun) (کیپ اینڈ ٹریڈ سسٹم): A system that sets a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted and allows industries with low emissions to sell their extra allowances to larger emitters.
- Bureaucratic Inertia (noun) (بیوروکریٹک انرشیا): Resistance to change or lack of responsiveness within a bureaucratic organization.
- Panacea (noun) (ہر مرض کا علاج): A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
- Robust (adjective) (مضبوط): Strong and healthy; vigorous.
- Platitude (noun) (موھَوَر): A flat, dull, or trite remark, especially one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.
- Inertia (noun) (سکون): A tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.
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dawn.com
Battlefield Lahore
Editorial
LAHORE is battling a severe smog crisis, one that refuses to let up and one that is keeping it at the top of the world’s most polluted cities. Earlier this week, the city was shrouded in fog so noxious, the Air Quality Index in two areas was five times more than safe levels. These statistics are a grim indicator of the perilous air the city’s residents are forced to breathe. Vulnerable children and adults are besieged by a host of health issues — persistent cough, breathing difficulties, eye irritation and headaches — that are now part of daily life in Lahore. The roots of this crisis stem from vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning, and a lack of effective waste management. This toxic cocktail is choking Lahore and is a testament to the government’s ineptitude to address this protracted health emergency. The WHO’s guidelines for PM2.5 is an annual average of 10. Lahore’s average, however, stands at a staggering 269, nearly 27 times higher than recommended levels. This is not just an environmental crisis; it is a humanitarian disaster.
The Punjab HEC’s recommendation to adopt the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) programme, similar to what the US implemented, is a commendable one. This programme has shown effectiveness in reducing emissions through a cap-and-trade system, providing a framework that could be tailored to Lahore’s unique challenges. However, adopting RECLAIM alone is not the panacea. The root causes of air pollution in Lahore need addressing. This includes stringent regulations on industrial emissions, a shift towards sustainable farm practices, modernising all the brick kilns — down to the last one — and promoting public transportation to reduce vehicular emissions. Moreover, raising public awareness about the health impacts of air pollution and ways to reduce personal exposure is crucial. The time for platitudes and half-measures — like the chief minister’s supervision of streets being washed — is over. The government must act decisively and immediately. The health of Lahore’s citizens cannot be held hostage to bureaucratic inertia and political indifference. The implementation of RECLAIM, along with a comprehensive environmental strategy, is not just a recommendation; it is a necessity. The smog that continues to blanket Lahore is a stark reminder of the cost of inaction. The government must wake up to the reality and take bold steps to ensure clean air for all.
Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023