LAHORE (Kashmir English): With average AQI between 195 and 210 throughout day, Lahore ranks second among the most polluted cities across the globe.
According to the global air quality monitoring organization IQAir, on Sunday, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 209, placing it just behind India’s capital, New Delhi, which topped the list with an AQI of 218.
According to the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), easterly winds have contributed to worsening smog conditions across the city.
The agency classified the city’s average AQI as “very unhealthy.” Experts have further warned that air quality could deteriorate in the coming days due to increased fireworks during India’s Diwali celebrations.
Environmental experts have described the level of city pollution as hazardous, especially for children, the elderly, and those suffering from respiratory illnesses.
Deteriorating conditions in Lahore
In response to deteriorating environmental conditions, the Punjab government has accelerated its anti-smog operations in the provincial capital.
The campaign against stubble burning continues across Punjab. The provincial government has deployed 91 balers and 814 Kubota machines to collect crop residues from thousands of acres, converting them into fodder bales.
