A government environmental committee has declared Lahore’s first smog tower, installed at Mehmood Booti, ineffective in significantly reducing air pollution. The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had formed a nine-member committee on January 15 to evaluate the tower’s performance, following findings by the Pakistan Air Quality Experts group.
The committee, composed of environmental specialists and professors from leading universities, as well as representatives from PCSIR and SUPARCO, monitored the tower’s impact using six air quality stations. The analysis showed that the reduction in PM2.5 concentration was more strongly influenced by natural factors such as wind speed and rainfall than by the smog tower itself.
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The report pointed out that the tower’s efficiency in removing PM2.5 particles was very low, raising concerns about the electrostatic dust collection system. Experts cited poor voltage regulation, ineffective electrode design, and inadequate filtration as key reasons for its failure.
Despite these findings, Punjab Environment Secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar clarified that the provincial government had not incurred any costs, as the tower was part of a private company’s pilot project. The company has been given an additional three months to improve the technology.
Meanwhile, the public has been advised to limit outdoor activities, wear masks, and use air purifiers, as the government continues to encourage research into better methods to combat air pollution.
