Chief meteorologist Chaudhry Aslam stated on Tuesday that as the government steps up efforts to reduce smog, artificial rain is anticipated in Punjab’s capital city of Lahore next month. Plans are already in place for this event.
In an interview with Geo News, Aslam did clarify, though, that the government is still thinking about using artificial rain as a weapon against the deadly smog, and that it would not occur between November 28 and 29.
According to Swiss company IQ Air, the amount of PM 2.5, or microscopic particulate matter, in the air on Tuesday reached 237, which is regarded as extremely harmful. “Lahore currently has a PM2.5 concentration 37.4 times higher than the WHO annual air quality guideline value.”
With an 11 million-person population, the nation’s second-largest metropolis was frequently named the most polluted city in the world. As a result, the government has adopted various measures to reduce smog, including closing schools, workplaces, and marketplaces.
Many patients have complained of breathing difficulties, therefore doctors have advised them to stay at home and use face masks. Furthermore, starting on November 20, the government has mandated that everyone wear masks for a week.
During the talk, Aslam also mentioned that in order to create artificial rain, clouds are blasted with a “special spray,” which produces a rainfall that can occasionally last up to 45 minutes.
“Artificial rains also occurred in the summer and winter seasons in 2001 and 2002 as authorities sprayed on the clouds with assistance from the Pakistan Army,” he continued.
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