Air pollution does not see any border or LOC, it engulfs lives and take out breaths
By Web Deskupdated : 11 months ago
Lahore/New Delhi 8 November 2019: Nasa satellite data shows a heavy concentration of fires on the Indian side and far fewer on the Pakistani side of the border. Lahore is some 20km (12 miles) from India's border, so could easily be affected by smoke from across the border.
Also, the number of fires on the Indian side this year does appear to be higher than last year, despite efforts to restrict the practice. India's Punjab state government figures show there were 42,676 fires between 23 September and 6 November - more than during the entire season in both in 2018 and 2017.
The weather patterns at this time of the year play an important role in how far air pollution can travel and in which direction. The prevailing winds flow towards the south and south-east during the stubble-burning season, after the monsoons - which would take the pollution into India rather towards Pakistan.
But one recent study, by the US Rand Corporation, says this can change from year to year, depending on prevailing wind patterns and the timing of the field burning. Although it's difficult to generalise about wind direction without knowing the specific weather conditions at the time, most of the pollution from Indian crop burning after the monsoon is likely to affect Delhi more than Lahore.
And in Lahore, as in Delhi, a complex mix of things contribute to smog, including vehicle emissions, rubbish burning and industrial waste.
A detailed report on air quality and sources of pollution in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn concluded crop burning - whether on the Indian or Pakistani side of the border - was not a major contributor to toxic air in Pakistan's Punjab province.
Air pollution does not see any border or LOC, it engulfs lives and take out breaths
By Web Deskupdated : 11 months ago
Lahore/New Delhi 8 November 2019: Nasa satellite data shows a heavy concentration of fires on the Indian side and far fewer on the Pakistani side of the border. Lahore is some 20km (12 miles) from India's border, so could easily be affected by smoke from across the border.
Also, the number of fires on the Indian side this year does appear to be higher than last year, despite efforts to restrict the practice. India's Punjab state government figures show there were 42,676 fires between 23 September and 6 November - more than during the entire season in both in 2018 and 2017.
The weather patterns at this time of the year play an important role in how far air pollution can travel and in which direction. The prevailing winds flow towards the south and south-east during the stubble-burning season, after the monsoons - which would take the pollution into India rather towards Pakistan.
But one recent study, by the US Rand Corporation, says this can change from year to year, depending on prevailing wind patterns and the timing of the field burning. Although it's difficult to generalise about wind direction without knowing the specific weather conditions at the time, most of the pollution from Indian crop burning after the monsoon is likely to affect Delhi more than Lahore.
And in Lahore, as in Delhi, a complex mix of things contribute to smog, including vehicle emissions, rubbish burning and industrial waste.
A detailed report on air quality and sources of pollution in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn concluded crop burning - whether on the Indian or Pakistani side of the border - was not a major contributor to toxic air in Pakistan's Punjab province.
