Are we heading for another national emergency?

Abstract

Recent reports published in national press about Pakistan’s growing airpollution should be a cause of concern for all of us. In the Economic surveyof Pakistan 2005-06, quoted recently, it is stated that the air pollutionlevels in Pakistan are among the highest in the world. The level of ambientparticulates (smoke particles and dust) implicated in respiratory diseases, istwice the world’s average and five times as high as in industrializedcountries. The most serious issue of air quality in Pakistan is the presence inair of excessive suspended particulate matters (SPM), the major source beingvehicles, industry, burning of solid waste, brick kilns and natural dust. In asimilar survey by SUPARCO on Karachi’s air pollution, alarming facts arehighlighted. Measuring levels of particulates at various sites in the megapolis, the scientists report that the levels of Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide,CO2, CO, Ozone, and volatile organic compounds is far ahead from the safelevels in WHO guidelines. The trend is not likely to be different in otherlarge and fast growing cities of Pakistan.