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News India Live, Digital Desk: Lahore city, which is called the historical and cultural center of Pakistan, is facing a deadly crisis today. The air here has become so poisonous that Lahore has been declared the most polluted city in the world. The city’s figure on the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 312, which falls in the “Hazardous” category. This is a situation which is considered a health emergency.
After all, how did Lahore become like this?
This thick blanket of smoke and smog covering the sky of Lahore was not formed in a day. There are many big reasons behind this which make this crisis more serious every year at the beginning of winter.
- Smoke from vehicles and industries: The biggest reason for this is the smoke emanating from lakhs of vehicles and countless factories in the city.
- Burning of crop residues: Farmers in Punjab province burn the stubble left after harvesting crops, which produces huge amounts of poisonous smoke.
- Burning garbage: Due to lack of proper waste management system in the city, people often set garbage heaps on fire.
- Role of weather: In winter, the air becomes cold and heavy, due to which these pollutant particles remain trapped in the lower layer of the atmosphere instead of flying upward.
Direct attack on people’s health
AQI above 300 is considered extremely dangerous for people of every age. Doctors have warned that breathing this poisonous air can cause stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and serious respiratory diseases. Children, elderly and already ill people are most at risk. Officials have strictly advised people to stay indoors, wear masks and avoid going out unnecessarily.
What steps is the government taking?
To deal with this serious situation, the government of Punjab province has taken several emergency steps. Action is being taken against polluting factories and vehicles. Along with this, use of “anti-smog gun” has been started for the first time in the city. These machines spray fine droplets of water in the air so that the dust and smoke particles become heavy and settle down.
However, environmental experts believe that these are only immediate relief measures. Unless the real roots of pollution, such as a permanent ban on burning of crop residues and strict control of industrial and vehicular emissions, are addressed, the people of Lahore will be forced to live with the same toxic air every year.
