LAHORE - Citizens of the provincial capital heaved a sigh of relief with change in weather conditions and lessening of smog in the atmosphere after four days.

Smoggy weather conditions improved a lot in the city when moderate north-westerly winds pushed back the smog producing pollutants to India. According to a world body report, smog producing particles had emanated from burning of crop residue by farmers of eastern Punjab (Indian Punjab).

Commenting on the situation, Chief Meteorologist Riaz Khan said yesterday that the pollutants may again return to Pakistan in two to three days, but less in quantity.

He said the pollutants had either been spreading over vast areas in India and Pakistan or settling down in the last three days, as those were also absorbed by the upper air.

The provincial environment department has said that north-westerly wind finally provided relief to the people across the province including in Faisalabad and Gujranwala regions as it pushed back the extremely irritating hydrogen sulphide to India.

Talking to the media, Secretary Environment Department Saif Anjum said that his department was also concentrating on reducing pollution, being caused by factories, mainly steel, in north and north-east Lahore.

He said that these factories were another major source of pollution so these factories were being constantly checked by the environment officials and the district administration.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department forecasted mainly dry weather in most parts of the country in the next 24 hours. However rain-thunderstorm with snow over the high mountains were expected at a few places of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Foggy conditions are expected over plains of Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sukkur divisions during the evening hours.