Lahore, the provincial metropolis dealing with a severe smog crisis, once again clinched the title of the world’s most polluted city on Tuesday.
The air quality index (AQI) ranking by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, revealed that Lahore remained at an AQI level above 250 for most of the day, indicating an extremely unhealthy air quality status.
The city witnessed its highest AQI level at 10 am, reaching 475, nearing the hazardous category. Even at its lowest point, recorded at 3 pm, the AQI stood at 258, still reflecting a highly unhealthy environment. Throughout the day, the AQI fluctuated, experiencing a slight decrease in the afternoon followed by a significant increase in the evening.
In response to this pressing smog issue, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has intensified its efforts to combat smog across the city. As part of its anti-smog initiatives, manual scraping operations have been actively conducted at critical locations, including Babu Sabu Interchange, Saggian Toll Plaza, and their surrounding areas.
Operational in three shifts, LWMC’s multifaceted strategy involves manual scraping on roads spanning over 100 km and water sprinkling on those exceeding 300 km daily, aimed at alleviating the adverse effects of smog.
Babar Sahib Din, CEO of LWMC, highlighted that mechanical sweeping covers 950 km of roads, while mechanical washing targets 150 km, emphasizing the need for continuous round-the-clock washing to maintain a dust-free environment.
Umar Chaudhry, LWMC’s spokesperson, outlined that more than 40 roads in the city have been prioritized for the anti-smog plan. These roads include Ferozepur Road, Jail Road, The Mall, Canal Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Noor Jahan Road, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road, Peco Road, Allah Ho Chowk, College Road, Bagrian Chowk, Kacha Jail Road, Madar-i-Millat Road, Multan Road, Thokar Chowk, MAO Chowk, Chauburji, and Azadi Chowk, among others.
Highlighting the severe impact of smog on human health and the environment, experts emphasized that it can lead to or worsen respiratory and cardiovascular diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and heart attacks. Furthermore, smog irritates the eyes, nose, and throat, reduces visibility, deteriorates the quality of life, damages crops, plants, and buildings, and contributes to global warming and acid rain.
To address this critical issue, experts suggested implementing stricter emission standards and regulations for vehicles, industries, power plants, and brick kilns, as well as promoting the use of cleaner fuels and renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro power.
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