LAHORE: Lahore has been declared the most polluted city in the world, leaving the Indian capital of New Delhi far behind, after its air quality index (AQI) went above 400.
The data was released on Monday and put Lahore on the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world while Karachi came in fourth.
On the other hand, PM2.5 concentration in the city is currently 75.6 times above the World Health Organisation’s annual air quality guideline value.
Lahore suffers from high levels of air pollution, with the city regularly ranking at the top of live pollution rankings of major global cities.
However, pollution only rose to the top of the public’s consciousness in early 2017.
When is Lahore’s air pollution at its worst?
Air quality in Lahore usually worsens during the winter season from October to February when farmers in the wider Punjab set light to the remnants of crops, producing smoke that adds to smog.
At the same time, weather changes mean pollutants remain trapped in the air for longer.
What causes air pollution in Lahore?
Air pollution in Lahore is caused by a combination of vehicle and industrial emissions, smoke from brick kilns, the burning of crop residue and general waste, and dust from construction sites. Other factors of air pollution include large scale losses of trees to build new roads and buildings.
Winter air pollution is worse due to temperature inversion, which results in a layer of warm air that is prevented from rising trapping air pollutants.
