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Little attention was paid to pollution and environmental issues in Pakistan until the early 1990s.

Related concerns, such as sanitation and potable water, received earlier scrutiny. In 1987 only about 6 percent of rural residents and 51 percent of urban residents had access to sanitary facilities; in 1990 a total of 97.6 million Pakistanis, or approximately 80 percent of the population, had no access to flush toilets. Greater success has been achieved in bringing potable water within reach of the people; nearly half the population enjoyed such access by 1990. However, researchers at the Pakistan Medical Research Council, recognizing that a large proportion of diseases in Pakistan are caused by the consumption of polluted water, have been questioning the "safe" classification in use in the 1990s. Even the 38 percent of the population that receives its water through pipelines runs the risk of consuming seriously contaminated water, although the problem varies by area. In Punjab, for example, as much as 90 percent of drinking water comes from groundwater, as compared with only 9 percent in Sindh. The central government's Perspective Plan (1988-2003) and previous five-year plans do not mention sustainable development strategies (see Development Planning , ch. 3). Further, there have been no overarching policies focused on sustainable development and conservation. The state has focused on achieving selfsufficiency in food production, meeting energy demands, and containing the high rate of population growth, not on curtailing pollution or other environmental hazards. In 1992 Pakistan's National Conservation Strategy Report attempted to redress the previous inattention to the nation's mounting environmental problem. Drawing on the expertise of more than 3,000 people from a wide array of political affiliations, the government produced a document outlining the current state of environmental health, its sustainable goals, and viable program options for the future (see National Conservation Goals , this ch.). Of special concern to environmentalists is the diminishing forest cover in watershed regions of the northern highlands, which has only recently come under close scrutiny. Forest areas have been thoughtlessly denuded. Deforestation, which occurred at an annual rate of 0.4 percent in 1989-90, has contributed directly to the severity of the flooding problem faced by the nation in the early 1990s. As industry has expanded, factories have emitted more and more toxic effluents into the air and water. The number of textile and food processing mills in rural Punjab has grown greatly since the mid-1970s, resulting in pollution of its rivers and irrigation canals. Groundwater quality throughout the country has also suffered from rapidly increasing use of pesticides and fertilizers aimed at promoting more intensive cropping and facilitating self-sufficiency in food production. The National Conservation Strategy Report has documented how solid and liquid excreta are the major source of water pollution in the country and the cause of widespread waterborne diseases. Because only just over half of urban residents have access to sanitation, the remaining urban excreta are deposited on roadsides, into waterways, or incorporated into solid waste. Additionally, only three major sewage treatment plants exist in the country; two of them operate intermittently. Much of the untreated sewage goes into irrigation systems, where the wastewater is reused, and into streams and rivers, which become sewage carriers at low-flow periods. Consequently, the vegetables grown from such wastewater have serious bacteriological contamination. Gastroenteritis, widely considered in medical circles to be the leading cause of death in Pakistan, is transmitted through waterborne pollutants (see Health and Welfare , this ch.). Low-lying land is generally used for solid waste disposal, without the benefit of sanitary landfill methods. The National Conservation Strategy has raised concerns about industrial toxic wastes also being dumped in municipal disposal areas without

any record of their location, quantity, or toxic composition. Another important issue is the contamination of shallow groundwater near urban industries that discharge wastes directly into the ground. Water in Karachi is so contaminated that almost all residents boil it before consuming it. Because sewerage and water lines have been laid side by side in most parts of the city, leakage is the main cause of contamination. High levels of lead also have been found in water in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Air pollution has also become a major problem in most cities. There are no controls on vehicular emissions, which account for 90 percent of pollutants. The National Conservation Strategy Report claims that the average Pakistani vehicle emits twentyfive times as much carbon monoxide, twenty times as many hydrocarbons, and more than three and one-half times as much nitrous oxide in grams per kilometer as the average vehicle in the United States.

Traffic Noise; a Big Source of Noise Pollution in Pakistan


2 MONTHS AGO MOBILE DOCUMENTARIES BAL KUMARI RAI

Any unwanted sound produced by machines or humans is described as noise. Noise causes disruptions of the environment, which is highly intolerable. Noise interferes with sleep, communication, work and rest etc. It is a known fact that excessive noise is detrimental to the health and hearing of humans. Exposure to noise for long periods can even cause permanent and temporary hearing loss. The adverse effects of noise are depression, hypertension, anxiety, insomnia and psychological disorders. Karachi has an estimated population of 15 million and it is among the bustling Metropolis in Pakistan. The city faces a massive problem of uncontrolled traffic from cars, wagons, mini buses and rickshaws.

ISO standard states that noise levels on roads should not surpass 70 dB (A). Studies have shown that noise levels that dont exceed more than 70 dB ever pose a threat to life or damage the ears. However, a study was conducted which declared M.A Jinnah road to be the noisiest road in Karachi. Here, it was during peak rush hours that maximum noise was produced i.e. 1.00 to 3.00 pm and 5.00 to 7.00 pm.

Irritations, anger, annoyance, short tempter, lack of sleep are conditions seen in people of Pakistan recently. Noise pollution in Pakistan is causing negative aspects in personality and behavior of people, thus, giving birth to destructive activities such as robbery, murder etc. It does not only affect humans but has an adverse effect on animals as well and it may lead to extinction of their breed since due to population growth the forests are being turned into towns and cities.

A major source of noise pollution is the vehicle without silencers. Hence, there was a need to introduce environmental friendly vehicles. CNG rickshaws were introduced with this premise in mind. Further, the government should take strict action against the ones who violate the rules and regulations. People should be fined who take vehicles on the road without silencers and who have the habit of honking for no reason. Further, people who play loud music should be banned from roads.

Pakistan Suffering greatly by Global warming and Pollution


(Naseem Sheikh, Lahore)

SOOT FROM diesel exhausts and the burning of wood, agricultural waste and dung for heating and cooking causes an estimated two million premature deaths a year, particularly in the poorest countries. Scientists say that concerted action on these substances can reduce global temperatures by 0.5 degrees Celsius by 2050 and prevent millions of cases of lung and heart disease by 2030. There is no way to effectively address a climate change without reducing carbon dioxide, the most dangerous, prevalent, and persistent greenhouse gas. It stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. The year 2012 is expected to be around 0.48 C warmer than the long-term (1961-1990) global average of 14.0 C, with a predicted range of between 0.34 C and 0.62 C, according to the Met Office annual global temperature forecast. The middle of this range would place 2012 within the top 10 warmest years in a series which goes back to 1850. Greenhouse gases can stay in the atmosphere for an amount of years ranging from decades to hundreds and thousands of years. No matter what we do, global warming is going to have some effect on earth. In February 2007, the UN released a scientific report that concludes that global warming is happening and will continue to happen for centuries. The report also stated with 90 per cent certainty that the activity of humans has been the primary cause of increasing temperatures over the past few decades. This proved with passage of time, average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880. The 20th centurys last two decades were the hottest in 400 years. And the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850. Global emissions of carbon dioxide in atmosphere from fossil fuel burning currently are approaching 7 billion tons of carbon per annum. Carbon level is plying a notorious role in causing the global warming. According to the WFP, nearly half of Pakistans (180 million) people are at risk of going short of food due to a recent surge in world food prices. Air pollution has also become a major problem in most cities. There are no controls on vehicular emissions, which account for 90 per cent of pollutants. The National Conservation Strategy Report claims that the average Pakistani vehicle emits 25 times as much carbon monoxide, 20 times as many hydrocarbons, and more than three-and-a-half times as much nitrous oxide in grams per kilometer as the average vehicle in US. About three-quarters of the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere during the past 20 years have been due to fossil-fuel burning. Activities consuming fossil fuels include power generation, industrial/manufacturing processes and transport. The rest of carbon dioxide emissions are predominantly due to land-use change, especially deforestation. According to latest reports millions of people in Pakistan are exposed to dangerous levels of outdoor and indoor air pollution and vector-borne diseases and millions of people suffer from diseases because of having no access to clean air. In Pakistan indoor air pollution alone is the reason for 30,000 child deaths per year. In all major cities, airborne particulate matter exceeds safe levels and causes some 22,700 deaths annually. The BBC states the country suffers from some of the highest air pollution levels in the world. The emissions in the country from industries, refineries, thermal power plants and vehicles all chip in to heart disease, lung disorders and cancer. Pakistans health indicators, health funding, and health and sanitation infrastructure are generally poor, particularly in rural areas. About 19 per cent of the population is malnourished a higher rate than the 17 percent average for developing countries and 30 percent of children under age five are malnourished. Leading causes of sickness and death include gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, congenital abnormalities, tuberculosis, malaria, and typhoid fever. According to a WB report, Pakistan has responded to its environmental problems by developing laws, establishing Government agencies and accepting technical assistance from donors. When solid waste is burnt, heavy metals like lead, toxic gases and smoke spread over residential areas. The wind also carries waste, dust and gases caused by decomposition. In many cities there are no air quality regulations and, where they do exist, national standards and their enforcement vary markedly. Across the country, city air is often thick with exhaust fumes, factory smoke or soot from coal burning power plants. Pakistani nation is not a major pollution contributor compared to other Asian countries. The

majority of its people dont destroy forests, dont wipe out endangered species, dont pollute rivers and oceans, and emit essentially no greenhouse gases. We believe that a smaller population would help us to preserve the environment and live within the limit of renewable resources, as part of a comprehensive approach to the environment and sustainability. All possible measures need to be adopted. Special attention must be given to health and hygienic conditions. If we monitor and manage the environment properly, we can significantly reduce the number of people suffering from respiratory and heart disease, and lung cancer. At the end, green living style matters a lot its more near to nature and important most if number of plantation increases it automatically clean air in their surroundings as trees called lungs of environment and mechanically clean all types of pollutants.

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