Currently, Lahore is contending with perilously elevated air pollution levels, achieving the dubious title of the most polluted city on the planet. This troubling scenario has raised significant health alarms for its residents and has spurred urgent demands for actions to confront the worsening environmental crisis. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has climbed to a staggering 708, while the day’s minimum reading still indicated a concerning 246 between 4 PM and 5 PM, deemed “very unhealthy.”
The PM2.5 concentration has surged to a troubling 431µg/m³, which is an astonishing 86.2 times higher than the annual limit set by the World Health Organization. This ecological calamity poses serious health threats, intensifying calls for rapid government action to address the persistent smog dilemma and its adverse repercussions on public well-being.
For the second consecutive time, Lahore has been recognized as the globe’s most polluted city, while New Delhi ranks second with a significantly lower AQI of 232 at 11 PM, peaking at 271 at 6 AM. Various areas within Lahore have recorded alarmingly elevated AQI readings, including an extraordinary 953 at the CERP office in Gulberg, 810 at Pakistan Engineering Services Ltd, and 784 at Syed Maratab Ali Road.
Experts are becoming increasingly doubtful about the government’s claims concerning the key contributors to smog, such as vehicle emissions and stubble burning. Some have observed that smog can be detected in the Lahore vicinity even during June, implying there may be other contributing elements. They are calling on the government to provide ‘precise data’ on smog development and to enhance public awareness regarding its harmful health impacts.
Raja Jahangir Anwar, the Secretary of the Environment Protection and Culture Change Department (EPCCD), highlighted several factors contributing to Lahore’s smog, including emissions from vehicles, burning of crop residues, factory emissions, and brick kiln operations. He pointed out that the current AQI figures rely on “private and economical sensors,” which could affect their accuracy.
In his remarks about the origins of smog, Anwar underscored the absence of comprehensive scientific research, referencing three contradictory studies from Pakistan that assign varying percentages of smog to vehicular emissions, ranging from 40% to 80%. The congestion from millions of motorcycles and cars, along with numerous factories and stubble burning in surrounding regions like Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, and Gujranwala, aggravates the issue.
At present, the government operates three air quality monitors in Lahore, with intentions to install additional devices by November 10. Anwar stated, “The government has three active air quality monitors in Gulberg, Mall Road, and Punjab University, with eight more anticipated for installation by Nov 10. This will increase the total to 16 when we factor in five mobile van monitors being introduced this year. A central control room has been set up, and daily air quality reports are disseminated from the station.”
In response to the declining air quality, the Punjab government has formed an 11-member committee comprising specialists from various environmental and research entities, assigned to create standardized AQI reports. This committee will tackle data discrepancies, evaluate available technologies, and propose a regulatory framework for reliable AQI reporting.
To address the ongoing air quality crisis, the Punjab government has issued an emergency notice advising residents of Lahore to wear masks and keep windows closed. Vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, infants, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, are urged to stay indoors. Furthermore, enforcement actions include the seizure of smoke-emitting vehicles, the implementation of zigzag technology in brick kilns, and penalties for farmers who engage in the burning of crop residues.
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