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A group of former cricket captains, including Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar and one of England's longest-serving skippers Sir Alastair Cook, have called on Pakistan to ensure its ex-PM Imran Khan be given proper care while in custody. The cricketer-turned-politician has been in jail since
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Lahore Is Officially Toxic Again, Forcing Residents To Breathe PM2.5
World's Worst Air: Lahore Is Officially Toxic Again, Forcing Residents To Breathe PM2.5 At Critical Levels
Lahore is the world's most polluted city with a hazardous AQI of 312 and PM2.5 levels 25 times the WHO limit. Read about the Smog Emergency Plan and the health risks of the severe pollution.
Lahore city was rated the world's most polluted city on Monday for the second time in a week, based on information provided by the Swiss technology firm IQAir. The thick smog shrouding the city has hit hazardous levels, well beyond the safety standards provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Lahore's Air Quality Index (AQI) jumped to a toxic 312 as the level of PM2.5—the most harmful particulate matter—hit a scary 190.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
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IQAir said Lahore's present concentration of PM2.5 is over 25 times WHO's annual air quality guideline. The real-time ranks saw various locations in the city exceed the hazardous level.
On Monday evening at 10 p.m. local time, Lahore emerged as the world's most polluted major city, its place taken by other perennial hotspots like Delhi (AQI 220) and Kolkata (AQI 170).
Such high levels of PM2.5 pose serious health concerns, such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease, especially to susceptible populations such as children and the elderly. The WHO in 2021 guidelines suggests an annual PM2.5 concentration of only 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Smog—a poisonous blend of industrial emissions, automobile exhaust, and seasonal agricultural fires—has turned into an annual crisis for Lahore from October to February. Statistics indicate this year is witnessing a particularly strong beginning to the season for pollution.
Punjab's Environment Minister, Marriyum Auranzeb, reported that the state government is actively enforcing its Smog Emergency Plan, with a strong focus on Lahore. The plan encompasses:
Strict Enforcement: Deliberate action against pollution sources like smoke-producing vehicles, industries, and brick kilns.
Monitoring and Prohibition: Adhering to a zero-tolerance regimen for crop residue burning and having field teams on 24-hour surveillance watch.
Smog Mitigation: Utilizing smog guns in cleaning activities, artificial rain (sprinkling) in urban areas, and sprinklers in construction sites to regulate dust spread.
Lahore had previously topped the global pollution chart just last week, between October 22 and 25, when the overall AQI hit a critical 412.
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Source: ZeeNews
Related Posts: Lahore world's most polluted city today, Lahore AQI 312 hazardous, PM2.5 Lahore concentration, Lahore Smog Emergency Plan, smog Lahore causes, crop residue burning Punjab
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