ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The pollen count is likely to rise in March in Twin Cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad which coincides with the spring season.
Talking to the state-run news agency in Islamabad on Saturday, an official of Met Office said that the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) monitors airborne pollen in Islamabad throughout the year.
The official said that pollen monitoring unit of PMD has installed pollen monitoring devices during the spring season in different sectors of Islamabad (H-8, E-8, F-10 and G-6). He said that the pollen concentration increases gradually with the onset of spring season and attains its peak around mid-March.
The official said that the most abundant pollen types in Islamabad are from eight trees including Paper Mulberry, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Pines, Grasses, Cannabis, Dandelion and Alternaria.
Out of all these plants, he said, Paper Mulberry shares about 97 percent of the total pollen and its concentration touches the extreme limits of about 40,000 per cubic meter of air at the peak of the blossom season.
The official of Met Office said that people suffering from asthma and respiratory diseases experience complications due to sharp increase in pollen concentrations.
The official said that the PMD will continue reporting pollen count on daily basis on PMD website www.pmd.gov.pk as well as through radio, print and electronic media till the end of the season in mid-April.
Public may contact at following phone numbers for related information; 051-9250334, 051-9250364 and 051-9250369 or email at pollen@pmd.gov.pk for queries regarding pollen count.
