Artificial Rain
LAHORE: The Punjab government has initiated planning for the implementation of artificial rain in the provincial capital, marking a first-of-its-kind effort in the country. Provincial Environment Minister Bilal Afzal and Education Minister Mansoor Qadir chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss short, medium, and long-term measures for smog control in the city.
Consultations on artificial rainfall as a smog mitigation strategy were held, leading to a decision to prepare for artificial rain in the city on November 28 or 29, taking advantage of potential cloudy weather.
The Provincial Environment Minister emphasized the formation of a team and a working group to facilitate artificial rain, with a focus on securing aircraft for the operation. Cloud presence was highlighted as a prerequisite for artificial rain, and the working group was tasked with examining all aspects of this intervention.
The finalized proposals from the working group will be submitted for the chief minister’s approval. Participants in the meeting included Secretary Environment Rashid Kamalur Rehman, representatives from the Environment Protection Department, SPARCO, and various universities.
Simultaneously, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the provincial capital worsened, reaching a figure of 282 on Thursday. The city experienced partly cloudy and hazy conditions, with citizens reporting eye irritation and throat discomfort, particularly during early hours of travel on the roads.
Data from the Environment Protection Department (EPD) indicated AQI levels at different times and locations. Despite the deteriorating air quality, meteorological officials reported that continental air prevailed over most parts of the country.
The forecast predicted mainly dry weather across the nation, with fog/smog likely to develop in the plains of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during morning hours. The minimum temperature recorded on Thursday was -06°C in Leh, while Lahore experienced a minimum of 13.2°C and a maximum of 27.4°C.
