Lahore, Nov. 21 (TNS): Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif as written a letter to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Amarinder Singh for a cooperative and coordinated approach for joint efforts to end smog.
In his letter, Shahbaz Sharif urged his Indian counterpart for joint fight against pollution.
“The intensity of smog issue that has wide implications for human health calls for concerted efforts to take on this challenge”, wrote Shahbaz.
Punjab Govt is up against the challenge of Smog now caused by the extensive corps burning in Indian side of Punjab. The vastness of the area, burning corps in, can be seen in the images released by NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
It has pointed out that burning of crop stubbles may be a major reason for a smog blanket in New Delhi, and also in Lahore, as the map shows several places in West Punjab that have thermal emissions.
Both East and West Punjab have two growing seasons — one from May to September and the other from November to April. In May and November, Punjab farmers typically sow crops and vegetables for the next season; but before sowing, they often set fire to fields to clear stubbles of previous crop and make them suitable for next sowing.
Particles produced by burning corps have spread in the air due to which not only people across the border from Indian Capital Delhi to Bhakkar in the west and Multan, Bahawalpur in the south are facing health and commutation problems but also the visibility has plunged to the extent that road accidents have become order of the day.
According to Motorway officials, visibility has plunged to 25 -50 meters from Lahore to Bhera, as thick smog an unwanted by-product of fog and pollution continued to persist in the air. Many have died and been injured in traffic accidents.
Lahore and its suburbs in particular have got blanketed by the smog causing many problems to millions of people.
