LAHORE: After 14 days of the Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded in excess of over 300, considered hazardous, Lahore witnessed a slight improvement in its pollution levels on Sunday.
Meanwhile, India’s national capital Delhi pollution levels worsened further, making it the worst city in the world in Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings.
The IQAir, real-time data shows that Delhi air quality index (AQI) score had touched 751 at 10am considered extreme ‘hazardous.’
According to a report by IQAir, the air quality index (AQI) in Lahore improved to 295 at 10am, transitioning from the ‘hazardous’ to the ‘very unhealthy’ category.
Earlier, Lahore, home to more than 14 million people, was constantly ranked as the world most populated city. In the last 13 days, the lowest pollution levels of Lahore was recorded 478 on November 13 in IQAir’s live rankings.
Despite improvement in the AQI, the Lahore air pollution levels the concentration of PM2.5 pollutants—fine particulate matter that poses significant health risks—were recorded at 220 micrograms per cubic meter in Lahore, which is over 44 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 could their lives shortened 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.
Yesterday, 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.
