LAHORE: Air pollution has increased to such an extent in Lahore that an incalculable number of people fall victim to it each year.

More than 63,000 people die each year in Lahore, of whom around 1,250 die because of air pollution which is also responsible for various chronic diseases, especially asthma.

Particulate matter is a contributor to air pollution and affects the human health adversely. It develops through fine fine , solid or liquid, found in vehicle-exhaust. It is usually monitored in terms of PM and calculated using its standard, the PM10.

According to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), particulate matter includes both solid and liquid droplets found in air, emitted by man-made and natural sources. The droplets then react in the atmosphere to form particles of various sizes. Particles less than 10 micrometers (PM10) have the most damaging effect because they can be inhaled and they start accumulating in the respiratory system of human beings. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are called fine particles and their sources include all types of combustion and some industrial processes. Particles with diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers are coarse and their sources include crushing and grinding operations and dust. Other harmful elements of air pollution are sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO).

According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), around five percent of all deaths in developing countries are the result of exposure to particulate matter. The population of Lahore is around 7.5 million and according to an estimate based on the mortality rate of 8.45 deaths per 1,000 people per year, around 63,375 people die each year, of which around 1,267 die because of particulate matter.

Punjab EPA made an air monitoring study at four different points in December 2004 and recorded the PM10 from 534 µg per metre cube to 963 µg per metre cube, which is several times higher than the maximum standard of 150 µg per metre cube and a threat to the people of Lahore.

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO) also made a study in 2004 and found that the PM10 was 293 µg per metre cube to 368, which was less than EPA’s calculation but still higher than the standard. The study also showed that noise pollution in Lahore had increased and was causing hearing ands psychological disorders besides high blood pressure.

Around 20 percent of Lahore’s population, especially children, were suffering from asthma, said Dr Prof Waheed Rathore of the Children’s Hospital, adding that air pollution was the main cause. The 20 percent of population quoted by the doctor suggests that around 1.5 million people are suffering from asthma while an incalculable number is suffering from blood pressure and lung infections.

Air pollution also accounts for several other diseases of the brain, respiratory system and heart.

Lahore District Officer (environment) Tariq Zaman said that vehicular pollution was destroying Lahore’s environment. He said that the registration of vehicles was increasing by 15 percent each year and around 156,000 vehicles were registered in 2004 alone.

He said the government should form a new transport policy to focus on the environment. Regarding the government’s two-stroke rickshaw and motorcycle phase out plan, an environmentalist said that the vehicles must be banned immediately. He said that pollution could not be controlled till the vehicles were not banned.

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C21%5Cstory_21-1-2006_pg7_10