The Punjab government has launched an upgraded real-time air quality dashboard that combines ground monitoring, satellite imagery, weather information, and air pollution forecasting to help authorities track pollution across the province. Developed through collaboration between the Punjab Environment Protection Agency and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the system is designed to help officials identify pollution hotspots, monitor changing conditions, and take timely measures against major sources of emissions.
The upgraded AQI Punjab Dashboard currently receives real-time information from 59 air quality monitoring stations installed across Punjab, with data being updated automatically without human intervention. The monitoring network has expanded significantly from just three stations in Lahore in 2024 to the current 59 stations across the province. Officials have announced plans to further increase the network to 100 monitoring stations, providing broader coverage of air quality conditions in different areas. The additional monitoring capacity is expected to give environmental authorities more detailed information about pollution levels and help them identify areas requiring faster intervention.
The new system goes beyond measuring current pollution levels by integrating information from satellites, weather systems, and air pollution forecasting tools. This combination is intended to help authorities better understand pollution sources, identify hotspots, and predict how air quality could change during the coming hours and days. Punjab Environment Protection Agency Director General Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh said the expanded monitoring infrastructure is also being accompanied by practical measures to control pollution, including the deployment of mist cannons to suppress fugitive dust and increased sector-wise enforcement against major emission sources. The additional forecasting capability could allow government departments to prepare for severe pollution episodes and respond before conditions deteriorate further.
The dashboard is expected to support pollution monitoring, forecasting, public information, and government response by providing more timely and detailed environmental data. The initiative is supported through ICIMOD’s Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme, which is funded by the UK Department for International Development through its Climate Action for a Resilient Asia initiative. According to officials, accurate and timely air quality information is important for identifying high-pollution areas and deciding where enforcement and pollution-control measures are required. With the monitoring network planned to expand from 59 to 100 stations, Punjab is also increasing the amount of real-time data available for environmental decision-making. The upgraded dashboard therefore adds a technology-based monitoring and forecasting layer to the province’s efforts to track and respond to air pollution.
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