Lahore’s air quality deteriorates to alarming levels due to to smog

Pakistan's second-largest city, Lahore, has been shrouded in a thick blanket of smog for the past two days. With an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 226, the bustling metropolis has become one of the most polluted cities in the world, significantly reducing visibility.

This prompted authorities to take measures to address the issue.

The speaker of the Punjab Assembly described smog as ‘extremely dangerous’ and a challenge that could not be overlooked. 

Punjab Assembly called a special session dedicated to this issue and instructed all member to ensure their presence in the moot. 

Smog is a mixture of pollution, chemicals, gases, and smoke that mix with humidity and produce smog, which triggers diseases such as eye infections and breath problems.

The annual practice of burning crop stubble, left after harvesting rice to clear fields for wheat planting, is widely blamed for toxic pollution in the region before winter. This pollution can cause disruptions, such as closing schools and halting construction activities.

Lahore has grappled with this issue for many winters. Measures such as cracking down on vehicles that emit smoke, preventing waste-burning practices, and artificial rain initiatives have not provided a lasting solution.

However, Environmental Protection Department Secretary Raja Jahangir shifted the blame to India, claiming that the rise in Lahore's AQI is due to smog-laden air from New Delhi.

The burning of agricultural waste and other smoke-emitting activities are the primary causes of smog in neighboring countries. Indian authorities have imposed a ban on fireworks for Diwali and have prohibited the burning of farm waste in nearby states.

“The incidents of the stubble burning are decreasing but, the smoke created by firecrackers needs to be controlled,” Indian News Agency ANI quoted Dehli Environment Minister.