The first smog control tower in Lahore has failed to make a significant impact on reducing pollution, according to the Pakistan Air Quality Experts Group. The group emphasized that addressing air pollution requires scientifically supported strategies, dismissing artificial rain as an unsustainable solution to the crisis.
In an advisory released on November 11, 2024, the experts recommended actions to combat the alarming levels of PM 2.5 pollution in Lahore and Punjab. These measures include shutting down brick kilns and smelters, as well as limiting heavy traffic on high-pollution days. Similar approaches have led to improvements in cities like Beijing and New Delhi. However, despite temporary restrictions in Lahore, pollution levels have once again reached dangerous levels.
Dawar Hameed Butt, the coordinator of the group and an environmental expert, highlighted that the daily average PM 2.5 concentration in Lahore in 2024 exceeded historical averages. He criticized the Punjab government’s smog control plan for not addressing the primary sources of pollution, calling for evidence-based actions.
The smog control tower at Mahmood Booti in Lahore, supported by the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), is compared to similar projects in China and India, which were also shut down due to their ineffectiveness. A study in New Delhi suggested that 47,000 towers would be needed to bring PM 2.5 levels to healthy standards, with Lahore requiring about 20,000 towers. Operating these towers would be costly and inefficient, far surpassing the cost of addressing industrial emissions, brick kiln operations, and vehicle emissions.
Artificial rain, previously promoted as a solution, has also been deemed ineffective, especially under unfavorable weather conditions. Data from the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) from December 15-31, 2024, showed no improvement in air quality at the Mahmood Booti location, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining dangerously high.
Experts argue that the government’s focus should be on measures that prevent or reduce emissions at their sources, rather than relying on ineffective interventions like smog towers. They also recommend that the Punjab government incorporate expert research and adopt successful strategies from other regions to improve air quality.
