Respiratory problems on the rise due to smog

Lahore: Sometimes, living in Lahore through its winter seems to be akin to living in a zone of perpetual twilight.

For days, the sun does not emerge fully and lights remain permanently switched on indoors - when the supply of power is available.

The smog that descends over the city is now a standard feature in December and January.

The haze is created by millions of pollutants that hang suspended over the city and its surrounding areas.

Over the past ten days, hundreds of flights have been delayed or cancelled, the motorway linking Lahore and Islamabad closed down and even rail traffic disrupted.

In newspaper columns and elsewhere, people blame nature for the disarray in lives caused by fog, with visibility on roads sometimes reduced to a few feet especially in the mornings and after dusk.

Pollution

There are those who point out that a failure to check vehicular emissions, control polluting factories located within city limits or enforce the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) laid down by a 1996 law are key factors behind the problem.

"It has been terrible. I travel frequently to Karachi and have been held up repeatedly over the past few weeks because the planes could not take off from Lahore airport except during the afternoon," said Riaz Ahmad, a businessman.

Other passengers have missed connecting international flights or important work appointments.

Motorists have been asked to install special fog lights with powerful beams and to drive with caution. The rate of asthma in Lahore has increased due to smog, with doctors warning that people of all ages are suffering respiratory problems.

However, not everyone is dismayed by the gloom.

"I find this weather so romantic. I love to wear woolly jumpers and scarves, and go out for a hot cup of coffee or even a walk in the park with friends, because the fog changes everything familiar into a mysterious zone," said Sidra Ahmad.

But while a few may be pleased, most miss the crisp, bright winters of Lahore, enjoyed under clear blue skies.

The smog has changed much about the season in the city and until the authorities initiate a serious effort to clean the air there is unlikely to be any change in this.