The Environmental Protection Department has established Pakistan’s first “anti-smog tower” in the city of Lahore to scale back the impact of climate change.
This initiative was brought to life through joint efforts with a private firm. And it represents a significant step forward in improving air quality in one of the most polluted cities in South Asia.
Strategic place for installing anti-smog tower
The anti-smog tower is implanted in Mehmood Booti, a strategic area plagued by industrial emissions and waste dumping sites. This advanced type of structure can filter 50,000 cubic meters of air every hour, amounting to an impressive 1.2 million cubic meters daily. Utilizing electrostatic technology, the tower attracts and eliminates harmful pollutants such as particulate matter, significantly reducing the concentration of smog in the surrounding atmosphere.
Remarkably, the tower was manufactured locally by an Islamabad-based company, featuring the ability of Pakistan to produce innovative solutions domestically.
Read more: Punjab plans to combat growing smog problem with advanced air quality monitors
The Environmental Protection Department, Imran Hamid, shined a spotlight on the pressing necessity for such measures, particularly in areas like Mehmood Booti, where industrial activities and improper waste management exacerbate pollution levels.
Hamid Sheikh reiterated that the air quality in these regions of Lahore has reached hazardous levels, posing severe health risks to residents. He emphasized that adopting such technology is crucial for creating safer and more livable urban environments.
The project is currently undergoing a 15-day trial funded entirely by the Punjab government. Officials have stated that the trial comes at no cost to the public, making it a risk-free investment in cleaner air. If the results are successful, the government will decide to scale the initiative by installing similar towers across other heavily polluted parts of Lahore, potentially extending to other urban centers in Pakistan as well.
Residents and environmental experts keep faith in the promising future of the trial’s outcomes. The tower’s installation has lit the fuse for debate about the need for broader, systemic changes to address air pollution, including stricter regulations for industrial emissions, better urban planning, and increased public awareness.
This anti-smog tower could help open the avenues for a cleaner, healthier future in Pakistan. As the trial gains momentum, it offers a ray of hope for Lahore’s residents, who have been suffering for a long time due to choking smog that blankets the city each winter.
If the project is a success, it is expected to pose no significant impact on air quality but also set a remarkable example to combat environmental challenges such as climate change to nip the evil in the bud.