LAHORE: In a first experiment of its kind, caretaker Punjab government on Saturday used artificial rain in a bid to combat hazardous levels of smog in Lahore.
Planes equipped with cloud seeding equipment were flown over 10 areas of the city, often ranked one of the worst places globally for air pollution.
Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the “gift” was provided by the United Arab Emirates.
“Celebrating a groundbreaking moment in Lahore — the first-ever artificial rainfall to combat smog! Heartfelt thanks to the UAE government for their support, making our environment a priority without straining the provincial exchequer,” he said in a post on social media platform X.
Taams from the UAE, along with two planes, arrived here about 10 to 12 days ago. They used 48 flares to create the rain,” he told the media. He said the team would know by tonight what effect the “artificial rain” had.
Naqvi further said that the federal government and its departments had also extended their cooperation in the effort. He said the Water and Sanitation Agency and Lahore Development Authority were also put on high alert.
“We hope that the Air Quality Index will improve due to artificial rainfall. After mastering the process of artificial rainfall, we will share it with other provinces as well,” Naqvi said.