Lahore has world's worst air quality today despite closure of schools, offices

LAHORE: All the Punjab government’s efforts towards curbing smog in Lahore went in vain as Lahore ranked the most polluted city in the world once again on Sunday.

The provincial government seems helpless before the smog as pollution could not be controlled in Lahore despite closing schools and offices three days a week.

Air pollution is also increasing in other cities of Punjab, including Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Raiwind. Air pollution is causing respiratory infections, lungs cancer and other fatal diseases among the residents of these cities.

As per the Air Quality Index, the particulate matter level in Lahore has reached 349 today, making it the most polluted city in the world, followed by Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, with a particulate matter level of 234.

India’s Kolkata came in third with a particulate matter level of 195, while Karachi’s position on the index dropped from 12 to 19. Karachi reported a particulate matter rating of 126, according to the latest report.

Lahore schools, offices to remain shut thrice a week

On November 22, the Punjab government had decided to shut down private and government schools in Lahore thrice a week as the smog situation in the provincial capital had taken a turn for the worse.

In a notification, Punjab Relief Commissioner Babar Hayat Tarar had said the restriction would be in place from November 27 to January 15. The commissioner had said private offices in the provincial capital would also remain shut three days a week.

Schools and offices will be closed on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, the notification had said.