Interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday announced authorities had conducted Pakistan’s first “cloud seeding” experiment in Lahore in a bid to curtail smog, as the provincial capital once again emerged as the most polluted city in the world.
Addressing a press conference, the caretaker said authorities had seeded clouds in the city’s outskirts early in the afternoon, resulting in light rains in most parts of the metropolis. “This has not cost us a penny,” he stressed, thanking the U.A.E. government for providing experts and a special plane to help the country combat air pollution. “They have been here for the past two weeks,” he said, explaining the measure was not made public earlier to avoid any untoward criticism if the trial were not feasible.
“We have already announced the installation of smog towers,” he said, noting these would be erected over the next few months to help reduce air pollution.
He said authorities would conduct another seeding flight shortly, adding its impact would only become visible later in the evening. To a question, he said authorities would monitor the results overnight, measure how much rainfall were achieved, and determine whether the trial should be replicated in other parts of Punjab that are also posting high levels of smog and air pollution. He said the Punjab government would also share the results of its findings with other provinces if they wished to utilize the same technology for their own benefit.
To a query, he said, there was a dire need for research to determine the exact causes of smog so it could be effectively countered. “We need to determine how much of this is due to traffic, how much due to crop stubble burning, any other reasons,” he said. “Smog will not be eradicated through this [cloud seeding] measure,” he warned, adding that if a definitive counter were determined, he would not hesitate to utilize available funds for the public health. He also clarified that there were no health risks posed by the cloud seeding, adding the measures were already being utilized in various parts of the world, including the U.S. and the U.A.E.
He also maintained that the government’s policy of watering roads overnight had helped reduce the air quality index, which measures pollutants in the atmosphere, but noted it was not enough to have a sustained impact during the day.
While the cloud seeding “experiment” to counter smog is the first of its kind in Pakistan, the country has previously tested the technology to address drought, including in 2000 and 2018.