With every breath

Though we do not realize it, every breath we take could be bringing us a little closer to death. According to international monitors in December last year, Lahore in Pakistan recorded the worst air quality anywhere in the world, followed by New Delhi, India and Pristina in Kosovo. Figures from the WHO state that there are thousands of deaths in the country each year due to diseases directly related to pollutants in the air. Somewhat surprisingly, most of them die as a result of indoor pollution. The fact that each year we are asked to keep doors and windows closed and avoid outdoor places to guard against Lahore’s now annual winter smog suggests we understand air pollution very little. Air quality in Lahore and other cities in Pakistan, especially those located away from coastal areas, is not always better in months outside the winter season either.The failure to provide people with a guarantee of a safe environment pledged to them under the constitution of Pakistan has been raised in the Senate by former information minister Nisar A Memon. The country urgently requires an air quality policy aimed at cutting down particulate matter in the air; particulate matter comprises minute pieces of solid or liquid materials which are suspended in the air and cause damage when inhaled. Gases and emissions from factories and brick kilns contribute to their number. According to the senator, it is time for parliament to consider means to provide people a safer setting in which to live. As we all know, it is also probable that the death toll from air pollution is higher than official estimates given that many deaths are not reported and their causes not always known. The burden of disease caused by air pollution is also extremely high in Pakistan and will continue to rise unless we are able to control air quality.Despite promises by successive governments, we have not so far succeeded in this. Because of limited equipment available with the meteorological department, problems have been reported over the years even in recording air quality. It is only in the most recent years that people have begun to recognize that winter fog is in fact highly dangerous smog which can cause irreversible damage. Efforts to close down brick kilns in Punjab have so far floundered, with owners protesting such moves. It is obvious a longer-term policy has to be devised to make essential manufacturing safer while protecting people, particularly the elderly and the children, from the harmful effects of air pollution in a situation where we can literally no longer breathe safely.

from The News International - Editorial http://bit.ly/2K9KTUl