In recent years, increasing air pollution has given rise to an environmental hazard called smog. As soon as autumn begins, the environment starts becoming hazy and cities rich in air pollution are seen engulfed by smog throughout the winter season.
In an exclusive discussion with Daily Times, Prof. Dr. Sajid Rashid Ahmad, a top environmental scientist in Pakistan who serves as a professor and principal at College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab shared his opinion on the subject.
Dr. Sajid Rashid predicted that there is no chance of rainfall till December, which means that there will be heavier smog this year.
He explained how air pollutants including CO2, CO, NO2 remain suspended in the air and cause smog. In absence of rainfall, these suspended pollutants combine with moisture in the air and form dense smog. Just as flour or dust particles would stick to the outer surface of a glass containing cold water, dust particles and smoke mixes with water vapors in the dense foggy air.
Shedding light on the adverse effects of smog Dr. Rashid stated that smog causes several kinds of health problems, including eye irritation, lung diseases, cough and cold. It aggravates issues like tuberculosis and will be even more dangerous for covid patients. He predicted that in case of heavy smog this winter, there will be a massive increase in covid cases too.
It is noteworthy that with the decrease in temperature a significant increase in covid cases is being observed in Pakistan.
