PESHAWAR: As fog enveloped the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway on Friday, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has issued an advisory to the district administration across the province to sensitise the people and communities to smoggy conditions.

The advisory was issued over the reports of fog blanketing Lahore and other parts of the Punjab and creating problems for the public.

On Thursday, 16 people were killed in traffic accidents caused by fog in Punjab, while 12 people died a vehicle pileup on the motorway due to zero visibility.

A Pakistan Meteorological Department official said visibility was slightly affected as the haze descended on areas close to rivers and other water sources.

“Conditions will deteriorate as the temperature plunges during the coming days,” he said.

The PDMA officials said the two advisories were issued on Nov 3 to all deputy commissioners across the province in light of the PMD’s smog advisory issued on November 2. They said smoggy conditions was likely to affect the province as there had been no rain for past many weeks and the situation was likely to linger on for several more weeks.

Advisory a copy of which is available with Dawn notes that due to stable atmospheric conditions, smoggy conditions were likely to persist and that a shallow westerly wave would produce light to moderate rains in northeast Punjab and upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and snowfall over the mountains and thus, bringing little relief.

“Less than average rainfall is expected during the months of November and December and therefore, smog, fog and mist will remain prevalent phenomenon,” it said.

The advisory said higher concentration of smog was expected in urban areas.

“Smog containing pollutants may cause eye and throat irritations as well as difficulty in breathing,” it said, adding that the people should take precautionary measures.

The advisory pressed deputy commissioners for sensitising the people and communities to exercise all precautionary measures such as avoiding unnecessary movement, wearing of protection masks and eyewash during intense smoggy conditions.

Also the PMD’s fog update for Friday said it would be hazy on Peshawar-Swabi and Swabi-Islamabad sections of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M1).

Syed Mushtaq Ali Shah, director regional metrological centre in Peshawar, told Dawn that smog possibility was higher in areas where there was a higher percentage of moisture in the air.

He said suspended dust particles and chemicals when mix with air moisture was called smog.

Mr. Shah said Peshawar and its neighbouring areas hadn’t received rains over the last one and a half months and that there was little chance of rains in the coming weeks.

He said foggy conditions would continue developing in the province during the current month.

“Smoggy conditions impact are likely to be higher in the areas like Dera Ismail Khan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi districts and parts of Mardan and Lakki Marwat district, where air moisture is in greater percentage compared to other areas,” he said.

The weatherman said higher percentage of air pollution caused by large number of vehicles and industrial units was likely to create smoggy conditions in the provincial capital as well.

He said smoggy conditions would not have much effect in districts of Hazara and Malakand divisions.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2016