Air pollution has reached dangerous levels in Lahore City, forcing the local government to tighten down on the high-emitting industrial sector.
Winter air quality in Lahore is exceptionally poor due to the burning of agricultural residue, as well as emissions from industry, transportation, and coal-fired power plants.
The Lahore administration claims to have enacted a “zero-tolerance policy” for environmental offences and has begun inspecting and monitoring companies and industrial units that release smoke, including those that had previously been deemed fit.
According to the city administration’s spokesperson Imran Maqbool, the provincial government has taken a wide range of measures, including sealing factories and units without emission control scrubbers, levying stiff fines, and taking legal action against people who burn stubble in fields and open spaces.
The Punjab Health Department advises wearing masks outside and requests that people avoid engaging in outdoor activities on days with high levels of pollution. In addition, the department advised using air purifiers and requested people to keep their windows closed until the air quality improved.
In Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, smog has entered its “fifth season.” When all the pollutants are contained in warm air during the winter, visibility is reduced, transportation is disrupted, and health problems result.
Only the Indian capital, New Delhi, consistently has more pollution than Lahore.
