Lahore is bracing for another bout of smog in the next 24 hours

LAHORE: A fresh bout of smog will hit Lahore in the next 24 hours, prompting the Punjab Department of Environment and Climate Change to issue a warning to citizens.

A provincial department official said a new wave of smog is expected to hit the Punjab capital due to Indian winds blowing at speeds of 4 to 8 kilometers per hour towards Lahore.

He added that the Air Quality Index (AQI) will suffer greatly today (Tuesday) and asks citizens to refrain from unnecessary venturing out and use masks when leaving their homes for unavoidable reasons.

As part of this project, the Provincial Environment Department has also set up a Smog Control Center at its headquarters where the responsible persons will inform the Director General of the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and other concerned officials on a daily basis about their steps towards control. with smog.

A notification has also been issued by the Director General of EPA in this regard.

In addition, the department also announced “mandatory” leaves for those students in special education centers in Lahore who fell ill due to air pollution from November 1 to January 31, 2025, amid the smog crisis.

The order stated that the decision was made for students suffering from cardiac, respiratory and other diseases.

It is noteworthy to note that Lahore on Monday ranked second in the list of the world’s most polluted cities with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 382 as thick smog persists in the Punjab capital despite efforts to reduce pollution levels.

The AQI, which measures a range of pollutants, topped 1,000 and reached an “unprecedented” 1,194 in the country’s second-largest city on Sunday – well above the 300 level considered “hazardous”, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitor. .

Concentrations of deadly PM2.5 pollutants – fine particulate matter in the air that cause the most harm to health – stood at 266 around 9:30 a.m., 53.2 times higher than the level the World Health Organization (WHO) considers acceptable.

Unusual levels of air pollution in Lahore have prompted authorities to take emergency measures, including closing primary schools for a week and making working from home mandatory.

In addition to closing schools, the government advised citizens to ensure children wear masks and stay home, keep doors and windows closed and avoid unnecessary travel.

To reduce pollution levels, a ban has been imposed on three-wheelers known as rickshaws and construction in certain areas, with a warning of permanent closure of factories and construction sites that do not comply with the rules.