Main Sources of Air Pollution in Punjab Revealed in New Report

The Punjab Urban Unit has released a detailed report regarding the primary contributors to air pollution with surprising insights into the extent of pollution sources.

According to this report, smoke-emitting vehicles are the largest contributors to Punjab’s air pollution, responsible for a staggering 83.15% of the total air pollution levels.

The report highlights that vehicular emissions, especially from outdated or poorly maintained vehicles, are the primary cause of deteriorating air quality, surpassing all other sources by a significant margin.

Industrial activities, though often considered a major contributor, rank second, contributing 9.07% to total air pollution.  This includes emissions from factories and manufacturing units that release pollutants into the atmosphere, though their share is notably less than the transport sector.

Challenging common assumptions, the report reveals that the role of agricultural waste burning in air pollution is much lower than generally believed. The burning of crop residue contributes just 3.9% to overall pollution levels, while the incineration of general waste adds 3.6%.

Furthermore, the report sheds light on lesser-known sources, noting that commercial building activities account for only 0.14% of air pollution, while household activities contribute a minimal 0.11%.

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  • So common sense says if vehicles are responsible for 83.15% of the total air pollution levels, then this is a year long problem. However this is a month long issue, so there must be other factors in consideration.

  • Also major contributor are iron mfg unit Nd bricks bhatta becoz both are using old tire for heat. Strongly recommend to take struct action

  • Authenticity of the report? Sample size and data analysis?
    Because according to International AQI experts 1. Burning of fields 2. Industrial smoke 3. Bricks kiln then comes at no 4. Old model buses, trucks and mini trucks.
    Others also include concretization because of not-needed housing societies, speedy conversion green fields around the city and last number of vehicles on the road.

  • Lahore is increasingly enveloped by industrial pollution, primarily from the burning of low-quality coal. To safeguard the city’s future, the Punjab government should take decisive action to ban the use of such low-grade fuel. Failure to address this issue could render Lahore uninhabitable within the next decade.

    • Non one is discussing the fact that we are facing this weather since the start of pattoki coal power plant. This report didn’t Sat anything about CPP

  • What about using Sugar can Rab in Power Generation because it seems only in some months when there is Sugar can Seeson

  • Not entirely correct. We get huge variations depending on the direction of the wind. Yesterday it dropped to the 200s because the wind direction had changed. Today it’s over 1000 all over Lahore because the wind is coming from India. Watch the wind direction on the IQAir live map.

  • 50 year’s old vehicles on roads is a common sight. Furthermore Motorcycle rickshaws & loaders have devastated peace, security of road users and made environment unfit to live.

  • Smog has been making lives miserable of around fifty million people for last five years. Scrap vehicles, motor cyle loaders/Rickshaws are mother of all evils 😈. Where is Road Safety department?

  • Please factory in darugaywala burning the old and wasted tyres for their bhatties to 🔥 their items plz take action against that haramkhoors and please plz in courage the people use public transport against the motorbike uses

  • In shortage of gas, Industrial units are using tons of coal, rice husk to run steam boilers and that areas shown highest AQI levels i. e Lahore near kot Lakhpat and DHA near hadyara drain industrial areas.

  • Question remains the same that why every year during these months? When it started a few years back the information given was that it’s due to burning of crop residue. Allah knows better.

    • Maybe because in winter cold air settles down and traps the smoke and fog. In summer hot air rises and the smoke goes up with it. Getting clean air requires a lot of money and effort. Our population cannot afford new vehicles, and our industry does not have the funds to clean their factory emissions. I am sorry but I see no solution to this problem unless our economy really improves and the country becomes rich.

  • I strongly disagree with it the major reason of pollution anywhere is less greenery lahore once had 45% of it’s area covered with trees and plants now the figure is less than 20%
    Carbon dioxide is a major effect but the cure is trees.
    Societies are major effect as well

  • All smoke emitting vehicles should be kept OFF THE ROADS and heavy fines to be imposed on owners of such vehicles without mercy and discrimination. Only closing educational institutions or lock down is not the solution. What about industries? Bhattas?
    Cutting of trees and removal of green fields. Governments are doing nothing except begging for funds.

  • The main reason of smog is burning the farm lands all across Punjab province after harvesting. We are ignoring it and finding the reasons in other petty things. Don’t know whose interest we are protecting?

  • It’s a non sense report, there is no department to monitor how much smoke is emitting from industrial chimneys. How they concluded but eye wash estimates. Its is simple to understand if govt not giving Natural gas to home and industries then all industries have shifted to fire coal, wood,brice husk, corn tukkas and even worn out tyres. Govt should check how much less LNG have been imported this year? Further it is understand why AQI of last year was 400 and now 1200 , what is reason of sudden increase, how vehicles engine got bad in one year? Then don’t to show what is fact.

  • Source of pollution is quite obvious since ages but authorities did not give it priority, now they come out with reports, research, studies writing papers, we look for practical actions, decisive actions not half hearted attempts posting few staff randomly to check smoking vehicles that too only in bigger cities and ignoring small town and villages main source of all the smog , if authorities are serious they have to identify the top contribuyors os smog and target them to eliminate, doing hotch potch sometimes close schools other time close shops or hetels will never solve this eternal poisionous issue


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