As air quality in Lahore begins to deteriorate with the onset of smog season, the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rolled out its new fleet of anti-smog fog cannons across the city. The initiative marks the operational launch of 15 advanced fog cannon systems procured earlier this year to suppress dust and reduce harmful particulate matter in the air. The EPA officially began deployment in Lahore, starting with key areas on Thursday, as part of its broader effort to address worsening air pollution levels.
Mounted on six-wheeler trucks equipped with water tanks, high-pressure pumps, and generators, the fog cannons create a fine mist that captures airborne pollutants and settles them to the ground. The first phase of the operation involved three fog cannons, each performing four operational cycles of one hour each. The machines were deployed along four major corridors including Punjab University New Campus, Jinnah Hospital, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Jail Road, Mall Road, and nearby localities extending to Siddique Jail Road from Qartaba Chowk to Tufail Road. According to EPA officials, the cannons are capable of dispersing mist up to 140 meters into the air, effectively reducing dust and toxic particles that contribute to Lahore’s smog.
Project Director Sajid Bashir explained that each machine is equipped with a 12,000-liter water tank and can rotate 180 degrees horizontally and tilt up to 90 degrees vertically, allowing for extensive coverage of high-traffic areas. He emphasized that since dust accounts for a significant portion of smog-causing suspended particulate matter, the fog cannons play a vital role in improving air quality. The full deployment of all 15 machines is expected by Monday, with the EPA simultaneously using mobile Air Quality Monitoring System (AQMS) units to measure real-time changes in the Air Quality Index (AQI) during operations.
Bashir added that the fog cannon network is supported by an AI-based meteorological system designed to enhance accuracy and efficiency in pollution control. “This technology is already in use in countries such as China and India, and it provides real-time data to help us optimize spraying intervals and locations,” he noted. To further strengthen environmental monitoring, the Punjab EPA has also launched a 24-hour air quality surveillance system, ensuring continuous oversight of pollution trends across the province. AQI data will now be shared three times daily, with reports released at 9 a.m., 5 p.m., and 1 a.m., covering shifts from midnight to 8 a.m., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 4 p.m. to midnight.
Punjab Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb described the initiative as a key step in combating urban pollution and safeguarding public health. She highlighted that the provincial government has intensified enforcement against industrial emissions, illegal crop residue burning, and other pollution sources under a comprehensive anti-smog operation personally supervised by the Chief Minister. She added that these integrated efforts, combining modern environmental technology and regulatory action, will help build a cleaner and healthier Punjab.
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