LAHORE: Once again, severe smog has blanketed the provincial capital of Punjab, making it the world’s most polluted city. Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday reached a troubling level of 432, and the Punjab government has imposed Section-144 and health emergencies in the Lahore division to control smog.
The concentration of PM2.5 particles in Lahore exceeded the WHO’s annual air quality guideline value by a staggering 79.6 times.
In response to this dire situation, the Punjab government has declared environmental and health emergencies in the Lahore division and various other districts of Punjab. Section 144, which prohibits certain activities, will remain in effect in Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Norowal, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahab, and Sialkot.
The decision was made due to the deterioration of air quality in the provincial capital and surrounding areas over the past few days. As per the official notice, Section 144 has been enforced in the districts of Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Nankana Sahib.
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The notification stated, “Educational institutions, government, and private offices, cinemas, parks, and restaurants would remain closed during environmental and health emergencies while markets would remain shut on Saturday.”
Nonetheless, marriage halls, public transportation, bakeries, pharmacies, and construction operations will continue without interruption.
To mitigate the impact of this hazardous air quality, a series of measures have been put in place. From November 9 to 12, all educational institutions, public and private offices, cinemas, parks, and restaurants will remain closed.
However, markets will be closed only on Saturday. Bakeries and medical stores will continue to operate during this period, ensuring essential services are available. Public transportation, including buses and vans, will continue to run on the roads.
