Ineffective smog tower in Lahore exacerbates Punjab's struggle against air pollution

The Pakistan Air Quality Experts Group has criticised Punjab's reliance on ineffective measures like smog control towers and artificial rain to combat Lahore’s worsening air quality. Highlighting the inefficiency of these strategies, the group emphasised the need for scientifically backed interventions to address the city’s hazardous pollution levels.

The advisory group, in a November 11, 2024, report, proposed actionable measures such as shutting down brick kilns and smelters and restricting heavy vehicle traffic during high-pollution days. These strategies, successfully implemented in cities like Beijing and New Delhi, have temporarily been adopted in Lahore but failed to sustain improvements.

“Lahore’s daily PM 2.5 levels in 2024 surpassed historical averages, exposing the shortcomings of the Punjab government’s smog mitigation efforts,” said Dawar Hameed Butt, coordinator of the group. He further criticised the smog tower installed in Mahmood Booti with NUST’s collaboration, citing it as an ineffective and costly solution.

Similar towers in China and India were abandoned after studies revealed their impracticality. For Lahore to meet healthy PM 2.5 standards, approximately 20,000 such towers would be required—an economically and energetically unfeasible proposition.

Data from Punjab EPA confirmed the tower’s failure, with December 2024 AQI readings at Mahmood Booti exceeding 320 on most days, reaching a peak of 742. Experts attribute any variations in air quality to weather changes rather than the tower's impact.

Artificial rain, another proposed solution, has also been dismissed. Experts argue that it lacks viability under Lahore’s weather conditions and fails to address pollution at its source.

The group urged Punjab to prioritise emission control from industries, vehicles, and kilns and adopt proven strategies from other regions to combat the escalating crisis effectively.