Lahore air remains ‘hazardous’ as Air Quality Index hits 447 – Pakistan

Lahore's air quality remained & # 39; dangerous & # 39; with an air quality rating of 447, according to the Air Visual Index (AQI) list of Air Visual on Wednesday.

The capital of Punjab is classified as the second most polluted city in the world, according to Air Visual, which records air pollution levels worldwide in real time. Delhi ranks first, with an AQI of 556 registered on Wednesday.

Read: No, India is not responsible for the smog of Punjab. This is what is really happening.

An AQI rating between 301-500 (or higher) is classified as & # 39; dangerous & # 39; and "would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected," according to Air Now.

For the past four years, smog, which is rightly called the fifth season of Lahore, has deprived people of the sun and the charm of the dusk hours, as the layers of toxic smoke envelop the horizon from November to February . Government officials attribute smog to burning crops in India. Experts, however, say the situation is caused by pollution in the country.

The situation has worsened this year, as the Punjab government, for the first time, announced the closure of schools due to heavy pollution. Residents accuse the government of taking insufficient measures to control the situation, even when the administration insists it is making efforts to deal with smog.

Last week, a group of students asked the Lahore High Court to seek a change in the AQI measurement system and the implementation of the Smog Policy.

The Prime Minister on Climate Change's adviser, Malik Amin Aslam, said earlier this month that Pakistan has taken steps to stop the burning of crop stubble, one of the main causes of the phenomenon, and that other countries should also come forward to tackle it

He said that two smog control units had been installed in Lahore and that his department was also focusing on measures to increase resources to address the problem.

"With the help of the World Bank, the government launched a program to address the problem of air quality," he said.

The adviser said the level of smog in India was rising, but the Pakistani government had taken steps to reduce it here. He promised that Lahore would be "smog free."

Karachi is the seventh most polluted city in the world with an AQI of 167 and is classified as "unhealthy." The AQI registered between 151-200 is classified as & # 39; unhealthy & # 39; and air quality can cause the entire population to experience adverse effects. According to Air Now, the & # 39; sensitive groups & # 39 ;, that is, people with lung diseases, children and the elderly, will be at greater risk.