LAHORE, Nov 02 (NNI): Air pollution in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, soared more than 80 times the level deemed safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday.
The level of PM2.5 pollutants for the megacity peaked at 1,067, before dropping to around 300 in the morning, with anything above 10 considered unhealthy by the WHO.
Smog continued to haunt the people of Lahore as the city again topped the list of the world’s most-polluted cities on Saturday with the air quality index (AQI) in the city topped 1000, making the mockery of tall claims made by the Punjab government that it was taking steps to bring down the pollution levels.
Strong winds, laden with thick smoke, blowing from India exacerbated the problem while the weathermen forecast that the situation would persist during the next 48 hours.
USA’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released the map, detailing how polluted air was entering Pakistan from India.
Lahore has been on the top of the hazardous air quality list in the world as India’s Kolkata with 253 AQI reading, Delhi, 238, Mumbai 199 and Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 181 reading much behind.
Smog in Lahore causing serious health problems for residents toiling in polluted air and reported to have breathing difficulties, coughing and burning eyes.
AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI rating between 201 to 300 is more harmful and AQI over 300 has been extremely hazardous.
Lahore had the worst air quality of 1,067 at 9:30 in the morning 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.
Air pollution level goes upward in the city on the onset of winter, change in the wind speed, wind direction and sliding minimum temperature increases air pollution.
Several hospitals in the city reported increasing number of cases of respiratory and allied complaints.
Medical experts have advised people to take precautions to avoid flu, skin allergy, eyesore and other suchlike diseases.
Environment experts say the use of substandard fuels such as plastic and rubber, especially in the cottage industry around Bund Road, contributes significantly to the deteriorating air quality.
Meanwhile, a ban has been imposed on use of fireworks in Lahore till Jan 31, 2025.
Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Saturday, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will soon write a letter to her counterpart in Indian Punjab suggesting joint efforts to combat worsening smog.
Azma Bukhari said the chief minister was on her heels for the elimination of smog in the province. “For the first time in Punjab several brick-kilns were demolished in order to tackle the smog,” she added.
Earlier, Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb appealed to the residents of the provincial capital to restrict themselves to their homes and avoid travelling unnecessarily. “And if going outside is inevitable, wear facemasks before stepping out of your homes. Especially those suffering from chest infection, heart disease and aged people should avoid going outside,” she advised.
The Punjab Police, on the other hand, while giving details of its operation against the people spreading pollution, said that they had arrested 1,035 persons and registered 1,330 cases.
The spokesman for the Force said that only in Lahore, 73 people had been taken into custody, while 184 cases had been registered.
“Over 686,000 drivers, whose vehicles were found emitting smoke, were challaned during the current year while 152640 vehicles were impounded,” he explained.
Similarly, the spokesman went on to say, the fitness certificates of 9,993 most smoke-emitting vehicles were cancelled. “Fines totaling millions of rupees were also slapped on the drivers whose vehicles were found to be contributing to pollution.”
On the other hand, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar has ordered speeding up the crackdown on the people whose actions are contributing to smog in the province. “Identify the cars, which emit the smoke the most with the help of safe city cameras,” he has ordered.
He has said that the provincial police are extending their full support to the environment department for the eradication of smog as action is being taken against smoke-emitting vehicles, factories and the farmers burning the residue of their crops. NNI
