LAHORE:
Most major cities in Punjab were engulfed in smog on Monday with air quality deteriorating to dangerous levels.
Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Kasur recorded the worst air quality levels.
According to international monitoring agency IQAir, Gujranwala’s AQI climbed as high as 762, among the highest in the region.
However, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted chances of rainfall in the provincial capital on Tuesday, which could bring about a significant reduction in smog.
Data from the Punjab Environmental Protection Department showed that Lahore’s air quality index reached 770 at Civil Secretariat, 718 at Sanda Road and 714 at Bedian Road. Several other places including Burki Road, Shahdara, Kahna, Multan Road, GT Road, Wagah and Egerton Road also reported high AQI readings. In comparison, DHA Phase 6 recorded 369, Safari Park 357 and Punjab University 355.
According to the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the intensity of smog in Lahore increased sharply after 5 p.m. The department’s monitoring and forecasting system indicated that winds blowing from the east and southeast carried smoke and particulate matter from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts towards Lahore, Kasur, Sahiwal, Faisalabad and Multan.
Experts warned that the influx was likely to worsen pollution levels in central Punjab. Slow wind speed in the early morning caused pollutants to remain trapped near the ground.
Meteorologists attribute the persistent smog to a temperature inversion layer, where cooler air remains trapped near the surface, preventing pollutants from dispersing.
The Ministry of Health advised citizens, especially children, the elderly and those suffering from respiratory or heart diseases, to avoid outdoor exposure between midnight and noon and again after 5 p.m.
