Lahore now second worst in world for air quality as city prepares for Diwali smog - Assalamu alaikum
Assalamu alaikum - Just wanted to share a worrying update about Lahore’s air. The city was ranked the second-worst in the world for air quality on Monday, with PM2.5 levels reported at about 31 times the WHO’s annual guideline, according to global monitoring data. The provincial government has started anti-smog efforts ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali.
We enter a familiar smog season from October to February in Punjab and Lahore, caused by crop-residue burning, vehicle and factory emissions, and stagnant winter weather. In previous years the Air Quality Index (AQI) has shot into hazardous territory (above 300) in November, forcing schools and offices to close and halting construction.
Local forecasts put Lahore’s AQI around 210–230, with mornings and nights expected to be the worst and a bit of relief mid-afternoon. Recent data showed Pakistan second only to Delhi in poor air quality, with Lahore’s PM2.5 concentration roughly 31 times the WHO annual guideline.
Light winds from the east and west can bring pollution over from nearby Indian cities like Amritsar and Ludhiana toward Pakistani Punjab cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan, officials warned.
Punjab leaders appealed to people to follow environmental SOPs. Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said every person’s efforts to prevent and reduce smog can make a big difference.
Residents are advised to wear masks; children, the elderly and anyone with breathing problems should stay indoors while winds are low and there’s no rain to clear the air. Municipal bodies have been told to sprinkle water on roads, stop burning garbage and crop waste, and make sure construction sites and material-carrying trucks are covered. The province has also started targeted “anti-smog gun” operations this season, along with new enforcement and traffic rules to cut emissions in Lahore.
This smog problem, like in Delhi, gets worse in cooler months because temperature inversion traps pollution near the ground. Please take care of yourselves and your families, especially those vulnerable to respiratory issues. Remember to make dua for relief and for steps that protect the health of our communities.
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