Lahore was ranked the world’s most polluted major city again on Thursday morning, with an Air Quality Index of 419, as smog thickened across Punjab ahead of the peak smog season. According to IQAir’s live ranking for 10am to 11am on 29 October, Lahore topped the list, followed by Cairo at 274 and Delhi at 220, while Karachi ranked eighth at 165.
Punjab’s own air quality dashboard showed hazardous levels across the province: Kasur at 348, Lahore at 324, Faisalabad at 290, Kot Addu at 269 and Dera Ghazi Khan at 267. By 1pm Lahore had eased to fifth globally at 183, a reminder that readings move through the day with wind and temperature.
Authorities have intensified enforcement against smoke-emitting vehicles, brick kilns, industrial units, plastic burning and construction dust, and say 30 more fog cannons mounted on electric trucks are being procured. Residents, especially children, older people and those with breathing or heart problems, are advised to limit outdoor exertion and wear a mask when pollution is high.
Sources: Dawn, IQAir. Written in our own words for information only.