Lahore world’s most polluted city

LAHORE:Once again the City topped the ranking of world’s most polluted cities on Thursday while the district administration constituted a third-party committee to check pollution control equipment installed by industrial units.

Data collected from IQAir, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded as 192, which was the highest among the top ten world’s most polluted cities. Delhi, India with an AQI of 185 stood second in the ranking while Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia was third with an AQI of 143. The rest of the world’s most polluted cities on Thursday were Kuwait City, Kuwait with an AQI of 139, Dubai, United Arab Emirates with an AQI of 137, Milano, Italy with an AQI of 133, Kathmandu, Nepal with an AQI of 129, Hanoi, Vietnam with an AQI of 129, Guangzhou, China with an AQI of 127 and Dhaka, Bangladesh with an AQI of 126. Environmentalists said the anti-smog measures were not taken in later and spirit in the City due to which the smog has started to build on the sky.

They said smoky vehicles were running on roads, movement of heavy traffic including tractor-trollies carrying sand and mud were not restrained, industrial units were operating without proper emission control systems and construction work in private as well as public sector was going on. They said all these acts contributed to smog and the situation will become very dangerous in the coming days.

Environmentalists also pointed out that the long march call given by Imran Khan will also contribute to air pollution because of traffic jams, rush and movement of a large number of vehicles on roads.

Meanwhile, under the anti-smog campaign, Deputy Commissioner Lahore has constituted a third-party team for checking equipment for controlling pollution and sealing industrial units. Officials said the third party will check the installation of equipment in industrial units on technical basis and as per environmental standard.

The team comprised over six members including Additional Deputy Commissioner General Nadia Mohal, Deputy Director Headquarters (Environment Protection Department) Mohammad Noor Ahmed, Deputy Director Technical (Environment Protection Department) Dr Shazia Parvez and Assistant Commissioner Shalimar Imran Safdar.

The committee will check the pollution control equipment installed by the industrial units across the City, the officials said, adding it will also technically review the clearance given to the industrial units by the EPD.

The committee officials said will also rectify the deficiencies found in controlling pollution in the light of environmental standards and laws and will also monitor the working and quality of pollution control equipment.

The committee will formulate its recommendations within a week, the DC said, adding notification of nomination of the committee has also been issued. On the other hand, the city witnessed a hazy day with dry and partly cloudy conditions. Met officials said continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country. They predicted that mainly dry weather was expected in most parts of the country while cold in northern areas. Thursday’s lowest minimum temperature was recorded at Leh where mercury dropped down to -04°C while in Lahore it was 16.8°C and maximum was 32°C.