LAHORE: Lahore air quality further improved but remained in ‘hazardous’ category on Wednesday.
According to a report by IQAir, which tracks real-time data of air quality worldwide, the air quality index (AQI) in Lahore reached 334 at 8:40am morning, making it the second most polluted city globally after Delhi.
Dehli air pollution levels were recorded at 475 at the same time.
Multan, is the most polluted city with an AQI of 326 followed by Rawalpindi with AQI of 190 and then Karachi with an AQI of 188.
At the same time, the Lahore concentration of PM2.5 pollutants—fine particulate matter that poses significant health risks—were recorded at 241 micrograms per cubic meter in Lahore, which is over 48.4 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual air quality guideline value.
An AQI below 50 is considered good ‘moderate’ between ’51 and 100′, ‘unhealthy for sensitive group’ at ‘101 and 150’, ‘unhealthy’ at ‘151-200’, very unhealthy at 201-300, 301 and above is ‘hazardous’.
According to this year’s life quality index Institute report, compiled by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, the people of Lahore have shortened their lives by 7.5 years due to the poor air they breathe.
To control the smog crisis, the Punjab government also has closed schools and closed public places including parks, zoos, playgrounds, joy/play lands, historical places, monuments, and museums in smog-hit districts including Lahore.
Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has described smog as a serious threat and said that it is likely to cause 250,000 premature deaths.
It should be noted that the situation of smog in the capitals of Punjab, Lahore, and Multan, is particularly disturbing. The provincial capital has been the most polluted city in the world for many days.
