On Monday, the Punjab government installed 30 advanced air quality monitors in major cities, including Lahore, as part of a broader digital transformation initiative led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to enhance environmental monitoring and public health.
These newly introduced monitors are designed to provide real-time data on pollution levels. Lahore, which has been struggling with high pollution levels, now has eight operational monitors, significantly expanding the city’s environmental monitoring capacity.
Read more: Lahore Tops List of World’s Most Polluted Cities, AQI Hits 354
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that the second phase will add 25 more monitors, to be installed across regions such as Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and Bahawalpur, with Sargodha and DG Khan also receiving monitors by the end of the month.
Key locations in Lahore, including THQ Kahna, Jaya Bhaga Police Station, Teaching Hospital Shahdara, and Punjab University, are already equipped with the new systems. Additional monitors have been set up in areas like Barki Road, PKLI, and UET.
The monitors are connected to the Environmental Protection Agency’s central control room and the global Air Quality Information (AQI) system, allowing real-time data to be shared with the public and researchers, marking a shift towards greater transparency in environmental monitoring. This initiative, championed by Maryam Nawaz, is being praised as a breakthrough in digital governance and environmental awareness.
