ontinuing its annual year-ending trend of plummeting air quality numbers, Lahore—the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province and home to 12.5 million people—finished 2021 topping the list of the world’s most polluted cities. On the Air Quality Index (AQI), a 500-point scale used around the world to measure air pollution, parts of Lahore crossed a score of 450—well beyond the “hazardous” threshold of 300—multiple times in just the final 10 weeks of the year.
These apocalyptic numbers are caused by smog, mostly produced by outdated industrial and agricultural practices along with automobile emissions. The winter climate and cooler temperatures allow pollution particles to hang in the air for longer periods of time. Residents ended 2021 plagued by low visibility and worsened respiratory health. Of course, smog in Lahore is a constant problem, no matter what season it is.
While Punjab’s government has identified many of the causes of air pollution and has discussed actions needed to address it, much of the state’s rhetoric has appeared to focus on ridding itself of responsibility. In 2018, the federal climate change minister dubbed smog an “unconventional” weapon that India is using in warfare against Pakistan. Last December, provincial officials inexplicably said “grilled fish and barbecue” were the real causes of air pollution. Some even claimed that Lahore actually doesn’t have any smog. When the U.S. consulate’s own high smog level readings in Lahore became public and led to...
Read Full Story: https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-citizen-diy-clean-air-movement-in-lahore-that-was-sparked-by-inept-pakistani-government-officials
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