Lahore's Air Quality Reaches 'Hazardous' Levels Again Amid Intense Smog

Lahore: Despite ongoing measures to combat smog, Lahore's air quality index (AQI) has once again exceeded 300, reaching levels deemed "hazardous" to health.

Reports indicate that the Swiss air quality monitor's graph shows Lahore last reached the "hazardous" category on November 28, making this recent AQI spike the first in almost three weeks.

On Tuesday, IQAir ranked Lahore as the second most polluted city globally, with an air quality index (AQI) of 532.

Since the beginning of the winter season, Lahore has been engulfed in dense smog, with dangerously high toxin levels in the air continuing for weeks, according to the reports.

The report states that Lahore has been enduring hazardous smog for more than two months, with the city facing the poorest air quality in the region. The smog results from a blend of emissions from factories and vehicles using low-grade fuel, along with the seasonal crop burning by farmers. This mixture, combined with cooler temperatures and sluggish winds, traps harmful particles over the city.

According to the reports, Lahore and Karachi are among the top five most polluted cities in the world. Lahore, with a population of 14 million, has been bearing the full impact of the escalating smog crisis that continues to envelop the province, leading authorities to implement exceptional measures to combat the pollution.

The crisis affects the country's most populous province every winter, but air pollution has intensified in recent years due to cold air trapping dust, low-quality diesel emissions, and smoke from illegal crop burning in fields.

The combination of smog, low temperatures, and high pollutant levels poses serious health risks to residents, highlighting the need for immediate action to tackle the escalating crisis.

(with agency inputs)