LAHORE – After adversely affecting the citizens for weeks, the smog is likely to settle as the meteorological department has predicted rainfall in parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the weekend.
According to a statement, Sunday night would bring with it showers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Islamabad and upper Punjab.
‘Rain/thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected at scattered places in KPK, FATA, Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions), Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, while at isolated places in south Punjab (Multan, D.G.Khan, Bahawalpur divisions) from Monday to Wednesday’ said a press release.
The downpour coupled with thunders would surely be wiping off the smog that led to scores of traffic mishaps in recent weeks apart from causing breathing issues.
On Saturday morning, dense smog persisted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh as well.
The combination of smoke and fog caused power lines to trip resulting in extended load-shedding. The Punjab government also announced to push forward school timings to aid children.
The smog also caused a delay in national/international flights leaving travellers stranded at airports in Lahore and Islamabad.
The Punjab government has weighed into the issue of crop burning, urging the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Amarinder Singh to ban the practice that is behind a pollution crisis affecting large parts of both countries.
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As per World Health Organisation standards, the daily average level of PM2.5 should not be more than 10ug/m3 and aggregated annual mean 25ug/m3 in a day whereas as per a gazette notification of the Punjab government, the daily limit of PM2.5 is 15ug/m3 and aggregated annual mean 35ug/m3 per day.
