By Zainab Ali
ISLAMABAD: Air quality in the Federal Capital Islamabad has worsened due to the continuing dry weather in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
At the start of the winter season, cold weather resulted in the creation of dust in the atmosphere. Federal Capital Islamabad’s atmosphere has started getting worse due to the increasing vehicular emissions and human activities because of a steady rise in air pollution.
Air pollutants ratio
As per the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), the recorded air pollutants ratio was below permissible limits. Pak-EPA collected the air quality data for 24 hours. It was based on three intervals of eight hours from different locations of Islamabad.
The collected data from Pak-EPA revealed that the air quality through three intervals of data monitoring remained low as the pollutants ratio was below the allowed limits of national environmental quality standards (NEQS).
The dangerous pollution particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), a lethal atmospheric contaminant, remained at 65.1 micrograms per cubic meter on average, which is higher than the NEQS of 35 mic-programs per cubic meter and denoted the air quality unhealthy.
How is PM2.5 generated?
PM2.5 is generated through burning garbage or inflammable material, the combustion of an engine, industrial emissions, and dust blown up by fast-moving cars plying on non-cemented patches of roads.
Smog pollution formation
Smog results from anthropogenic activities, including industrialization, increased traffic, and the rising pace of urbanization. The major causes of pollution are domestic emissions, industrial emissions, vehicle emissions, soot from the burning of agricultural waste, and construction-related dust emissions. The magnitude and intensity of pollution increase yearly due to increased industrial, commercial, and vehicular activity. Due to increased pollution, airborne particles form a platform of smog formation, especially in the winter when the air is dry.
Factors for respiratory diseases
As per Doctor Zia Ul Haq, a Pulmonologist working at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), dry and cold air are the two major factors for respiratory diseases during the winter season.
Talking to a local news agency, he said the respiratory tract had internal surfaces possessing normal bacteria without any breach. However, dry and cold air caused breaches in the lining of the respiratory tract, leading to infection and damaging the normal secretions inside the breathing organs.
He informed that there is an increase in cases of people reporting respiratory complications and breathing problems. Most of these cases were reported after November 15 with high temperatures and extreme cold.
Precautionary measures
Pulmonologists usually advise the elderly above 50 or patients with chronic heart, kidney, and lung diseases to get the flu vaccine during the extreme winter season to avoid respiratory diseases.
Pulmonologists advised avoiding unnecessary outdoor visits during the evening and morning timings of cold weather. In case of an emergency outdoor visit, people should properly cover their faces and eyes by wearing face masks and coverings.
It is necessary to ensure the intake of warm fluids, such as warm water and hot tea, etc., to control damage to the respiratory tract amid bad weather and air quality.
