Lahore topped the list of the worst polluted cities in the world on Wednesday. According to air pollution data from the US Air Quality Index, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan is second, Delhi and Kolkata in India are third and fourth, and Karachi is fifth.
The city’s Particulate Matter (PM) rating is 327, and the city is classified in the “dangerous” category of air quality.In “397 AQI [or Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5], the concentration of pollutants is 34.8 times the annual air quality value set by the World Health Organization, which environmentalists call dangerous. “Because it is” very dangerous “in each place,” explains Abdullauf, a representative of organizations working to improve the air quality of the city.
Lung specialists advise you to wear a mask when you are out.
“The danger is that there was no smog on Monday and there was pure pollution,” an Environmental Agency official claims.
Smog occurs when smoke mixes with fog. Humidity in the city on Monday was 60%, but no fog is generated at these values. The fog on Monday did not cause eye irritation, which also proves that it was not smog. This means that this haze was pure pollution.
“Second, and also very worrisome, is the fact that it is purely indigenous. The country still has a westerly wind, which is that the wind is heading towards India and that of the border. This means that pollution from the side has not yet entered Pakistan. The situation here certainly worsens as soon as the wind turns and carries Indian pollution (mainly smoke from stubble) to Pakistan. Will do, “said officials.
Other than tackling pollution “hotspots,” the department has little to do to manage the situation, officials continued. The industrial area and its operations are currently under scrutiny. This department has already instructed its sales force to focus on industrial activities, especially at night. He claims that industry, especially northern Lahore, usually uses low-quality, highly polluted fuels at night. The
Meteorological Service forecast does not provide any relief as it predicts dry weather for the next 48 hours and no rain (atmospheric cleaners) will be seen for the next few days. On Monday,
, pollutants are floating in the air of Lahore, as wind speeds that normally remove pollutants were up to 5 knots. Met officials said temperatures and fog would maintain the same pattern for the next 24 hours.
Dr. Nadeem Ahmad, a pulmonologist, advises people to wear a mask when leaving home. Air purifiers are now needed at home as fine particles can penetrate into the lungs and blood as well as in the room. He warns that people with existing conditions (such as asthma) need to avoid going out and protect themselves as much as possible from this pollution.
