Punjab’s capital Lahore led the global pollution charts with a dangerously high air quality index (AQI) of over 1,000 as thick smog shrouded the densely-populated city.
Lahore had the worst air quality of 1,067 around 9:30am on Swiss air quality watchdog’s real-time list of most polluted cities in the world, despite provincial government’s desperate attempts to fight off smog.
The city battles pollution each year in winter as temperatures fall and cold air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions, and smoke.
Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of Lahore also contributes to toxic air, which according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer besides respiratory diseases.
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Meanwhile, visibility was reduced to zero in the megapolis following the rise in smog levels.
However, the AQI later improved to 702 by 10:30am but Lahore retained its position on the top.
Weather experts predicted that the intensity of smog will persist during the next 48 hours. They said the smoke-laden air from the Indian capital New Delhi had contributed to increase in smog levels.
Pollution-led smog in the city is causing serious problems for residents, especially those who work outdoors. Citizens toiling in polluted air have reported breathing difficulties, coughing and burning eyes, affecting both their health and productivity.
“It’s been tough to breathe and I’ve fallen sick two times this month. We can’t go out without masks and we can’t work effectively either,” Lahore resident Mohammad Saad, 30, told Geo.tv.
Keeping in view the situation, Punjab has imposed a “Green Lockdown” in the most polluted zones of Lahore to combat rising smog levels.
