What Happened: Lahore’s air pollution soared to a record high, with PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO limits by over 80 times, prompting government restrictions and health warnings amid persistent smog.
What you need to know: On Saturday, air pollution levels in Lahore reached alarming heights, exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) acceptable limit by more than 80 times, marking a record high. The city has been shrouded in thick smog for several days, a mixture of fog and pollutants primarily from low-quality diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal crop burning, and the onset of winter.
What more: The concentration of harmful PM2.5 pollutants, which pose significant health risks, soared to 1,067 micrograms per cubic meter before dropping to around 300 the following morning. For context, the WHO considers anything above 10 to be unhealthy. Jahangir Anwar, a senior environmental protection official in Lahore, noted that they had never recorded such high levels before.
Also: He warned that the air quality index would remain elevated for the next three to four days. In response, the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency has implemented new restrictions in four of the city’s most polluted areas. They also mandated that students with health issues related to air quality be given a three-month leave from special education schools starting Friday.
Additionally: During a three-day debate in the Punjab Assembly on smog and water shortages, lawmakers discussed measures to reduce industrial and vehicle emissions and enforce environmental laws more strictly. As a result, tuk-tuks with polluting two-stroke engines have been banned, and restaurants without proper filtration for barbecuing must close by 8 PM. Additionally, government offices and private firms will have half of their staff working from home starting Monday, and all construction work is on hold.