The Punjab Environment Department on Sunday issued a smog alert as the province deals with rising pollution levels. Lahore again tops the list of the most polluted cities in the world, and the temperature is getting cooler.
The average air quality index (AQI) in the provincial capital fell abnormally in 24 hours to register at 700 this morning (Sunday), according to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.
According to the IQAir air quality classification, the atmosphere becomes “hazardous” to health after the AQI crosses the 300 mark.
An AQI of 0-5 is considered “good”, 51-100 is considered “moderate”, 101-150 is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, 151-200 is simply “unhealthy”, 201-300 is “very unhealthy”, while more than 301 degree means “dangerous”.
As a result of the alarming drop in Lahore’s AQI, the city continues to rank at the top of the world’s most polluted cities with dangerously low visibility, which also indicates a worsening smog situation in the city.
As winter approaches, Lahore becomes particularly vulnerable to smog, exacerbated by winds that carry polluted air from nearby regions, including Amritsar, New Delhi, Chandigarh at a speed of 7 kilometers per hour.
In connection with the current situation, the authorities also called on residents to take precautionary measures.
In the warning, authorities reminded residents to check their AQI before playing sports or going outdoors, use a mask before going outdoors, prevent children from playing outside and avoid traveling to places with heavy smoke.
Meanwhile, the Lahore Traffic Police has warned citizens to be careful while driving motorcycles as the visibility in the city has reduced to one kilometer.
In addition, ecologists emphasized that Lahore’s air is “very dangerous” for citizens, calling for a state of emergency in the city.
They said that citizens should wear masks and not leave the house without an urgent need. In addition, medical experts have also warned residents about the spread of nose, eye and throat diseases due to dangerous levels of air quality.
Smog is especially dangerous in winter due to low-quality fuel from factories and vehicles in the low-lying metropolis 14 minutes away, where denser cold air traps emissions at ground level.
Seasonal crop burning by farmers on the outskirts of the provincial capital is also a major factor.
Lahore and New Delhi are the most polluted cities. Today, the latter has retained its position as the second most polluted city on the scale with an AQI of 270.
Meanwhile, the third most polluted city in the world today is Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where the AQI was 159. Here, the air quality is “unhealthy” for citizens.
The metropolis of Karachi was ranked fourth on the list this morning, with an AQI of 162.
Poor air quality is a serious threat to health, as residents of polluted cities have a number of medical problems, especially respiratory ones.
Rising air pollution could reduce life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world’s most polluted regions, according to a report published last year that highlighted the growing health burden of hazardous air.
Punjab authorities are scrambling to deal with the worsening smog crisis, taking all measures to combat dangerous levels of pollution.
The ban on outdoor school activities in Lahore province will end from Monday. An official of the Punjab School Education Department said the ban would last for three months until January 31.
From October 28 to January 31, 2025, the study time has also been changed to 8:45 a.m. School administrations are instructed to organize student meetings in closed rooms.
In addition, activities such as fireworks are prohibited until January 31, 2025.