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The quality of air in Pakistan’s Lahore has deteriorated significantly, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 690 on Sunday, making it the most polluted city in the world on Sunday. This worsening air quality has raised alarms among health authorities as citizens have reported increasing respiratory issues, including coughs, viral flu, and sore throats.
“The air is so thick; it feels hard to breathe,” a resident said. Health authorities have issued warnings urging residents to take immediate precautions against the hazardous air quality.
Experts have recommended wearing masks and goggles to mitigate health risks and urged people to minimize outdoor activities and use air purifiers indoors.
What is the reason for poor AQI?
The onset of winter exacerbates pollution in Lahore, as colder air causes heavy, toxic particles to settle closer to the ground. Contributing factors include smoke from burning crop remnants, industrial emissions, and the burning of waste materials, which release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. “The winter months see an accumulation of carbon and smoke, creating a thick layer of pollution,” explained an environmental expert.
The worsening condition of Delhi in India
Not far behind, Delhi is also grappling with severe air pollution and stands second on the list of the World’s Most Polluted Cities. Sunday morning, the AQI in East Delhi's Anand Vihar reached a staggering 403, categorized as 'severe.'
As of 1:15 PM, the AQI was recorded at 361, still in the 'very poor' category according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Like Lahore, Delhi's pollution levels are aggravated by similar factors, including crop burning and emissions from nearby industrial activities.
PM2.5 concentrations in New Delhi are reported to be 12.4 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended limits, posing severe health risks. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to various respiratory issues. A cyclist from Delhi remarked, “We can’t breathe properly; we get tired faster due to the pollution
Measures taken to mitigate the severe condition
In response to the worsening air quality, Delhi has implemented the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-2), which includes restrictions on the use of coal and diesel generators. The city government has also banned the production and sale of firecrackers until January 1, 2025, in an effort to curb pollution during the festive season.
Dust control measures at construction sites and regular mechanical sweeping of roads are also underway. “The government needs to encourage public transport and carpooling more effectively. The measures taken so far don't seem enough,” said a cyclist highlighting the community's growing frustration.
Meanwhile in Lahore, plans for cloud seeding to generate artificial rain and the formation of an "anti-smog squad" aim to combat the pollution crisis.
List of World’s Most Polluted Cities
Although efforts are being made to control pollution, several cities are still struggling to mitigate the worsening air quality. IQAIR has released the list of the World’s Most Polluted Cities 2024. Here are the top 20 most polluted cities in the world along with their AQI:
1 - Lahore, Pakistan 195
2 - Delhi, India 192
3 - Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 159
4 - Mumbai, India 152
5 - Tehran, Iran 138
6 - Warsaw, Poland 134
7 - Batam, Indonesia 132
8 - Dhaka, Bangladesh 132
9 - Skopje, North Macedonia 123
10 - Tashkent, Uzbekistan 118
11 - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 111
12 - Wuhan, China 107
13 - Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina 102
14 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 99
15 - Kolkata, India 95
16 - Hanoi, Vietnam 95
17 - Budapest, Hungary 95
18 - Incheon, South Korea 95
19 - Pristina, Kosovo 92
20 - Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel 92
