Sunday, November 10th, 2024

Lahore has become the most polluted city in the world


With the air quality index (AQI) touching the level of 708, Lahore has once again topped the world map in the list of most polluted cities in the world, reports Dawn.

The health of millions of Lahore residents is increasingly at risk as PM2.5 concentrations exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) annual safe limit of 431 ug/m3—86 times the limit, Dawn reported.

Even the lowest AQI reading in the provincial capital recorded an alarming 246, which is classified as “very unhealthy”.

Experts said severe pollution in Lahore can no longer be dismissed as seasonal, with hazardous smog persisting even during the summer months, indicating “systemic environmental mismanagement”.

The crisis arises not just from stubble burning but from uncontrolled vehicle emissions, outdated industrial practices and ineffective environmental monitoring.

Private air quality monitors across Lahore reported even higher AQI levels, with readings reaching 953 in Gulberg, 810 near Pakistan Engineering Services and 784 on Syed Maratab Ali Road.

Yet, the secretary of the Environment Protection and Culture Change Department (EPCCD) rejected these readings, saying that government monitors use low-cost sensors and that private data “cannot be considered reliable,” Dawn Told.

EPCCD also acknowledged Pakistan’s lack of comprehensive research into smog sources, acknowledging that official estimates of vehicle emissions widely range from 40 to 80 percent of Lahore’s pollution load.

Contributing factors include 4.5 million motorcycles, over one million cars, and numerous factories and brick kilns, many of which operate without emissions controls.

Currently, Lahore relies on only three functional air quality monitors, with eight additional units planned for November. However, pollution levels peak between 11 pm and 5 am, which coincides with the movement of heavy trucks and ongoing construction. This leaves residents exposed to uncontrolled toxic air during critical hours.

In response, senior minister Maryam Aurangzeb issued an emergency warning urging citizens to wear masks and limit outdoor activities, although critics argue that such advice falls short.

Factories and furnaces continue to operate, and construction remains uncontrolled, making air quality even worse. The government has acknowledged that the movement of heavy trucks and ongoing construction worsens the air quality at night, Dawn reported.

The Punjab government claims it will solve the problem by adding new air monitors and improving reporting, but the delay is putting millions of people at risk. Pakistan’s reluctance to enforce environmental policies has allowed pollution levels to reach dangerous heights, making Lahore’s persistent pollution crisis a serious example of inadequate governance and public health negligence.



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