Pakistan’s Lahore city remains at the top of the world’s most populous cities, but it also happens to be the most polluted, with an average pollution reading of 415, according to Pakistan-based ARY News on Monday.
The Punjab Environment Protection Department’s air pollution data revealed alarming figures in various areas. Upper Mall, Polo Ground Lahore Cantt, Lahore College for Women, Lahore College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Town Hall Lahore reported AQI readings of 508, 491, 297, 250, and 299, respectively.
The AQI rating, categorized into unhealthy, more harmful, and extremely hazardous, hovered between 151 and over 300 due to a confluence of factors such as ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
Experts highlighted the surge in air pollution during the winter months, attributing it to shifts in wind speed, direction, and declining minimum temperatures. The colder weather condenses the air, causing toxic particles to concentrate closer to the ground, thus enveloping the atmosphere with a layer of harmful elements like carbon and smoke.
In response to the escalating smog crisis, Pakistan’s Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) initiated smart lockdowns in ten districts, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, and Sargodha. According to ARY News, educational institutions remain closed in these districts, while markets, shops, cinemas, and restaurants are permitted to operate until 3 p.m.
The citizenry received warnings from environmental authorities regarding the perilous Air Quality Index (AQI) of 379, labeling Lahore as the most polluted city globally. In response, experts advised the populace to wear face masks and take essential precautions while urging cooperation from citizens and industries to alleviate this environmental catastrophe, as emphasized by Punjab government officials.