To combat the ongoing smog problem, Chief Meteorologist Chaudhry Aslam announced on Tuesday that artificial rain would be brought to Lahore, the capital of Punjab. The program is a component of the government's larger initiatives to lower the region's dangerously low air quality levels. Aslam did clarify, though, that November 28–29 is not when the artificial rain is supposed to occur.
In order to create artificial rain, Chaudhry Aslam described the procedure in detail. He said that a specific spray is applied to clouds, causing a downpour that lasts for at least 45 minutes. By removing pollutants from the air, this method aims to lessen the effects of smog. The announcement also mentioned earlier occurrences of man-made rain in 2001 and 2002, when cloud spraying was largely carried out by the Pakistan Army.
The alarming concentration of PM 2.5, a type of particulate matter, in the air, which has reached unhealthy levels, is what led to the decision to investigate artificial rain. The government has taken a number of actions in reaction to the worsening smog, such as closing marketplaces, offices, and schools temporarily. As part of the plan to shield the public from the harmful health effects of air pollution, mask use has also become mandatory.
The Punjabi government is making a concerted effort to alleviate the smog problem in Lahore, and one innovative strategy that has emerged to do so is artificial rain. The efficacy of the cloud-spraying technique and the prevailing weather patterns are two major variables that are likely to affect the success of this method.