In a report titled “Sectoral emission inventory of Lahore,” the Urban Unit of the Planning and Development Department of Punjab sheds light on the city’s pollution sources.
The report states that the transportation industry is responsible for more than 80% of Lahore’s pollution. In Punjab province, this report represents the first district-scale effort to evaluate atmospheric pollutants brought on by human activity across six different sectors.
According to the report, the main causes of pollution in Lahore are transportation (which accounts for 83% of emissions), industry, agriculture, open-fire waste burning, and inefficient fuel use in the domestic and commercial sectors.
In particular, two-stroke vehicles like motorbikes, scooters, and auto-rickshaws are highlighted in the report as having an alarming rise in the number of registered vehicles in Lahore. It also admits, based on anecdotal evidence, that the vehicle figures might be exaggerated because it’s possible that the majority of vehicles in the Punjab province are registered in Lahore.
Burning waste, a common practice on the outskirts of the city, is responsible for 3.6% of emissions while burning crop residues contributes 3.9% to pollution in Lahore.
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