PROPOASAL WRITING

Project Title & Location

THE DILEMMA OF SMOG IN LAHORE ITS “CAUSES, IMPACTS

AND MITIGATION”.

Project Summary
The atmospheric pollutants or gases that form smog are released in the air
when fuels are burnt. When sunlight and its heat react with these gases and
fine particles in the atmosphere, smog is formed. Ground level ozone and fine
particles are released in the air due to complex photochemical reactions
between volatile organic compounds (VOC), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and
nitrogen oxides (NOx). It is harmful to humans, animals, plants and the nature
as a whole. The aim of this study is to solve the problem of smog in Pakistan’s
second largest city, home to more than 10 million people, is facing elevated
levels of air pollution due to rapid industrialization, growing vehicular
emissions, loss of tree cover and increased crop burning and coal based
industrial emissions from neighboring India causing residents respiratory
difficulties eye irritation and cardiac complications among other ailments. The
project is conducted to effectively present the mitigation measures for smog
pollution prevention. The objective of the mitigations of smog is to improve
air quality and reduce the air pollution episodes in Lahore.

Project Aims and Objectives

 To indicate the causes of smog in and around Lahore.
 Surveying to identify human health impacts of smog.
 To enhance public awareness and understanding of smog problem and
management.
 Strategies to mitigate the sources of smog in and around Lahore.

Main Focus of the Project

Air pollution prevention and control.
 Background and Justification

FIRST MILESTONE SECOND MILESTONE THIRD MILESTONE

(Identification of impacts of (Role of Government) (Eco-Syntec consulting
smog on local community) services)
Major Health impacts of NASA (The National Aeronautics and Eco-Syntec Consuting
smog are coughing and space Administration) has pointed out Services with the
irritation of the eyes, chest, that burning of crop stubbles may be a collaboration of ------works to
nose and throat. major reason for smog blanket in Lahore demonstrate the action plan
Aggravation of asthma last year. The farmers are of the view for mitigation of dilemma of
Breathing difficulties and that they cannot afford to buy expensive smog in a city. Awareness of
lung damage and risks of equipment to clear the land and so resort local community about smog
road accidents. to burning it instead of plough the stalks combined with air pollution
back into the earth where they can control activities and a
decompose into humus. The Punjab control site without air
government doesn’t take any checks to monitors are going to setup
control this activity of burning left-over monitors to determine the
straw. This might be a reason but in the amount of particulate matter
meantime we are being invaded by in a single locality. Pollutants
noxious gases from coal power plants. then compared with standards.
It is pertinent to mention that the entire Result of the study will
world is now shifting away from coal- provide plan for controlling
fired plants due to environmental smog problem in a city
concerns but here in Pakistan  Amount of pollutant
government are moving towards coal- captured
fired plants projects despite ‘knowing’  Community
the detrimental effect on the awareness
environment of the province.  Mitigation measures
for smog control
The Labs of the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) are not
operational to go for any empirical
evidence to crackdown on
environmental hazards causing factories
and other offenders. Air Quality
monitors were installed at five points
 during last decade but because the
instruments were not calibrated they
eventually became useless.
Pakistan contends with increasing
challenges from the increase in motor
vehicles in cities. As government takes
action on controlling the issue of traffic
in city by orange line train will run on
electricity, new LTC busses will use
CNG but should also takes action to
immediate checks the number of
private owned cars.

Figure 1: Smog in Lahore

Describe three main points that you feel make your Project special
  People may experience health problems like eye irritation, respiratory
problems and skin irritation from smog. Increased awareness of
general public about smog as it exposing larger swathes of the
population to health risks.


Detailed Project Activities

AWARENESS OF LOCAL AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
COMMUNITY STRATEGIES
In order to prevent this toxic air from getting Set up air monitors to get accurate data of
into your homes, keep your windows and pollutants so it will be precisely identified
doors shut and insulate your homes by and proper response can be formulated.
wetting pieces of cloth and putting them into
the corners of windows and doors and keep
this smog out.
Carpool, use public transportation, bike, or Waste management to minimize emission of
walk whenever possible. methane gas caused by burning at landfill
sites.

Protect yourself by wearing face masks Governments should take strict measures
under the supervision of Central Govt. to act
against biomass burning and teach farmers
alternative use of left-over straw for energy
and manure.

Avoid wood and coal burning is the primary The Government needs to impose strict
cause of smog. approval requirements for new investment
projects regarding energy-saving and
environmental protection, and restricting the
investment of industries with high energy
consumption and high pollution levels in
environmentally vulnerable areas.

Avoid using your own cars and vehicles on Water sprinklers/ mist fountains can also
heavy smog days. used to avoid dust re-suspension.
 Plants and trees can absorb carbon dioxide,
it’s vital that more green plants and trees are
planted, so they can help absorb and reduce
the cause of the growing heat in the
atmosphere.

The leaves of some trees (Birch, Mango,

Guava, Fig,) have higher dust collecting
capacity than others and therefore they
should be planted in more quantities.
Grass paving and applying gravel to a dirt
road surface are other measures to reduce
dust
Clean technologies should be implemented to
reduce industrial smokestack emissions.
Strengthen traffic control measures and
maintain the attractiveness of public
transport.
Measures to control the number of vehicles in
a city.
Establishing monitoring, alerting and
emergency response systems for air pollution
episodes.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF SMOG DILEMMA

Strengths Weakness
 Solve the problem of smog  Revenues are insufficient.
 Good performance of air monitors  Decreasing overall investment in
provides data a good basis for the basic mitigation services.
Internal

introduction of smog control  Lack of trainings of staff.

initiatives.
 Serve for the humanity. Generally
good connectivity to environment
and community.
Opportunities Threats
  Generally efforts for improving  Expansion of town likely to reduce
environment could be a good coverage of mitigation utilities in
incentive for private sector the future.

External

involvement in controlling Improper data collection of air

problem. monitors coupled with growing
 Good air monitoring systems traffic pollution likely to aggravate
could indicate other private sector the environmental and health
to establish air control measures in conditions of a community.
other cities.

Expected Achievements/Results/Outputs
 Survey for identification of health risks of smog in Ravi town

The dense population of Ravi town will be observed for identifying health
impacts of smog and by set up air monitors to check the concentration of
particulate matter of this locality.

 Coughing and irritation of the eyes, chest, nose and throat

 Aggravation of asthma
 Breathing difficulties and lung damage
 Risks of road accidents
 Awareness campaign in towns for smog protection

Instructing residents to minimise exposure to outdoor air, wear face masks,

and keep children inside.
Evaluation
Air monitors collect and store continuous data of particulate matter in air. The
total particulate matter will be compared with standards to assess the overall
concentration of particulate matter in a day.
PM sizeAcceptable Concentration (μg/m3)/ StandardsOrganization
PM2.5 25 μg/m3 24-hour mean
WHO
PM10 50 μg/m3 24-hour mean
PM2.5 35 μg/m3 24-hour mean
EPA standards
PM10 150μg/m3 24-hour mean

Dissemination of Results
Result of the study will provide a plan for controlling smog problem in a city
 Amount of pollutant captured in a locality
 Community awareness
 Mitigation measures for smog control
Project Work Plan

Please provide the detailed project work plan on this format: (please add extra sheets if necessary)

Time table (month-wise)

Activities Sub-activities Indicators
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Objective 1

Objective 2

Objective 3