The federal capital’s air quality on Tuesday was reported healthy despite dry weather and development projects on two major roads of the metropolis. Air pollution in the metropolis remained low since the onset of the Spring season as prolonged rainy weather helped in containing air pollutants ration in the atmosphere.
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) daily air quality report indicated a reduced ratio of air pollutants, recorded below permissible limits, and the air quality was healthy. The Agency is responsible to ensure the protection of the environment under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997. The hazardous air pollutant particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), which was a hazardous atmospheric contaminant, remained 14.46 micro grammes per cubic meter on average which was higher than the NEQS of 35 mic-programmes per cubic meter and denoted the air quality unhealthily. PM2.5 is generated through the combustion of an engine, industrial emissions, burning garbage or inflammable material and dust blown up by fast-moving cars plying on non-cemented patches of the roads.
The EPA officials claimed that the vehicular emissions due to increased automobiles was one of the leading cause of bad air quality. Industrial emissions were already subsided due to carbon-absorbing advanced technology installed at various steel manufacturing units. Senior Pulmonologist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Dr Zia Ul Haq told APP that the dry and cold air at different phases due to increased exposure of an individual .
