Artificial rain used to fight toxic smog in Lahore

LAHORE: The Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, Syed Musa Raza, discussed the use of artificial rain to combat smog in Lahore on Saturday. Air pollution has become a severe issue in the city, with layers of toxic smog often covering the city.

Raza stated that the district administration, in collaboration with the meteorological department, will carry out artificial rain to stop the increasing smog in the city. All arrangements have been completed, and the Pakistan Army’s aircraft will be inducing the artificial rain, according to the DC.

The rain will begin once cloud saturation exceeds 40 percent. The district administration is waiting for the Meteorological Departments instructions, with the DC stating that artificial rain will be induced under the ideal and desired conditions.

AIR POLLUTION

Lahore often has a thick layer of toxic smog covering the city, the product of diesel fumes and smoke from seasonal crop burn off. The clouds contain high concentrations of PM2.5 pollutants, which are cancer causing micro-particles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs. There are over 7 times the World Health Organisation (WHO) danger limits.

Air pollution has become a growing concern in Lahore, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) currently at 105, meaning that it is unhealthy for sensitive groups. According to the scale, at this level the general public is not likely to be affected, but members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. It is expe4cted to become worse during next week, reaching highs of 159 which are unhealthy, meaning everyone may begin to experience health effects, especially those in sensitive groups.

At times Lahore has had an AQI between 300 and 400. In 2023 it was ranked the fifth most air polluted city in the world, and in 2021 was topping the daily ranking of most polluted city in the world repeatedly.

Artificial rain was used for the first time in Pakistan in December of 2023, with the support of the United Arab Emirates, who provided planes equipped with cloud-seeding equipment. The process involves burning a solution containing silver iodide in clouds to encourage condensation to form.