A thick cloud of smog has enveloped Pakistan’s cultural capital and has earned it the ignominious title of the world’s most polluted city, according to a Swiss air quality monitoring company. Platform IQ Air said that Lahore now stands at the top of its polluted cities ranking with an air quality index of 364 on the US AQI scale, as compared to Delhi 183, which was formerly the most polluted city. Increasing smog and particle-laden air have sickened thousands of people with respiratory and other illnesses, forcing many to stay at home on particularly dirty days.
Increasing air pollution and smog have forced authorities to order a partial closure of schools in Lahore, once known as the city of gardens. Authorities said they closed some factories and some were fined for not using technology that helps in controlling pollution. But closing schools is not the right option instead the authorities should have taken action against these factories earlier which are responsible for pollution. Lahore was once known as the city of gardens, which were ubiquitous during the Mughal era of the 16th to 19th centuries. Intense urbanisation and surging population growth have left little room for greenery across the city. People should follow doctors’ advice and must wear face masks to avoid respiratory-related diseases.
QAMAR UL ZAMAN
LAHORE
