by Javed baloch source: News Agencies
images source: Unsplash
In the past few days, the city of Lahore, Pakistan, saw its air quality soar above 700 (over 1000 on November 1st) on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
This is 15 times higher than what is considered a healthy air quality level by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to WHO, an AQI of 50 is healthy for living beings. Lahore has been seeing its AQI exceed 700 on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, Delhi, India, also experienced thick toxic smog, now a common occurrence in the winter season.
Lahore and Delhi are two of the most polluted cities in the world, alternating between the number 1 and 2 positions on a daily basis.
Lahore is home to 14 million people, while Delhi’s population is estimated to be 33 million.
The main cause of the toxic winter smog in Delhi and Lahore is the uncontrolled practice of burning crop stubble by farmers to clear their fields post-harvest. This is a cheap and quick method but has severe environmental consequences.
Other factors include emissions from industries, factories, and construction. Vehicle fumes also add significant smoke to the air above the cities.
India is celebrating the Diwali festival, which means firecrackers will add significant smoke to the air, intensifying the level of smog in the coming days. Delhi surged past Lahore as the most polluted city in the world the after Diwali celebrations.
Lahore has again topped global pollution rankings, with its AQI surpassing 1,000 on November 1, 2024, (Measured AQI of 1,067 at 9:30 AM in Lahore) making it the world’s most polluted city according to reports from Pakistan's media.