Instead of taking drastic measures to ease the suffering of millions of citizens, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of Punjab has asked the provincial government to take legal action against those publishing ‘fake’ air quality data of Lahore.
The development comes after the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of Punjab conducted a study that showed that there is a ‘striking’ difference between the air quality data of the provincial capital collected by the air quality monitoring sensors of EPA and privately installed low-cost air quality monitoring sensors.
The EPA study showed that the air quality data of Lahore issued by the privately installed air quality monitoring sensors is always ‘higher’ than that of EPA Punjab.
According to the study that was conducted on 10-11 November, the average PM 2.5 rating of Lahore obtained from EPA’s sensors was recorded at 239 while private sensors recorded it at 331, showing a difference of 27% between the data from the two sources.
It added that a private air quality sensor consists of an aerosol meter that uses the Light Scattering Method (LSM) while an EPA air quality sensor consists of a particulate matter analyzer that uses the Beta Attenuation Method (BAM).
BAM-based air quality monitoring sensors are not only used by the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS) but US Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) and renowned bodies also use them.
On the other hand, LSM-based air quality monitoring sensors are not used by any reputable body across the world.
Based on this study, the EPD has requested the provincial government to take legal action against those using air quality data of Lahore other than the one issued by EPA.
Speaking in this regard, provincial EPD Minister, Muhammad Rizwan, said that no one will be allowed to disseminate ‘fake’ air quality data of Lahore and cause concern among the public through misinformation.
