Lahore again second among world’s most polluted cities

LAHORE : After a gap of three days, the provincial capital once again stood second with an AQI of 184 in the list of world’s top 10 most polluted cities while the Indian capital Delhi was on the first place.

Though the City’s AQI has improved and the change of wind speed has cleared the City skies from the trapped gases, there was a dire need to continue anti-smog measures as the situation may return back in case of negligence, said environmental experts, adding the government needed to do excessive water sprinkling on the dry patches (without grass) around the roads to stop rise of fugitive dust.

They said presently the PM2.5 concentrations in Lahore was 20.6 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value, they said, adding that construction work especially mega projects should be banned during October to December while the checking of smoke emitting vehicles and industries should be intensified in these months.

As per the IQAir, the highest AQI was recorded at CERP Office 255, Phase8-DHA (226), Valancia Town Lahore (210), Pakistan Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd. (186), Syed Maratib Ali Road (179), Climate Finance Pakistan HQ (179), WWF-Pakistan (177), Ghazi Road Interchange (176), University of Management and Technology (173), US Consulate in Lahore (172), Lahore American School (166), Revenue Employees Coop Housing Society (164), Johar Town (152) and Shahrah-e-Quaid-i-Azam (124).

Meanwhile, Met officials said that continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country. They predicted that cold and dry weather was expected in most parts of the country. Smog/fog (in patches) was likely to prevail at isolated plain areas of Punjab during morning/night hours.

Wednesday’s minimum temperature was recorded at Leh where mercury dropped to -08°C, while in Lahore, it was 11.4°C and maximum was 27°C.