No immediate plan to address the recent spike in air pollution, Mr Amjad
JAVED KHAN
PESHAWAR
Air pollution in Peshawar has reached “Very Unhealthy” levels over the past four days, surpassing Lahore as the most polluted city in Pakistan by Thursday evening.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), which draws data from five local monitoring stations, the AQI of Peshawar scores 247 at 5pm, compared to Lahore’s 227.
Around 5pm, the AQI reading in different areas of Peshawar was: Warsak Road 308, Dalazak Road 378, Hayatabad 245, WWF-Pakistan Peshawar Regional Office Town 234, United States (US) Consulate in Peshawar Cantonment 216, and GT Road 169.
Air pollution in Peshawar, the most urban and populated city of KP, with an AQI of 247, has entered the “Very Unhealthy” category.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that breathing such toxic air can lead to catastrophic health outcomes, including strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory ailments.
The WHO has labeled air pollution as a “Silent Killer,” identifying it as the greatest environmental health risk of our time. Globally, it is estimated to contribute to 7 million premature deaths annually.
Among children under the age of 15, air pollution is particularly devastating, claiming 600,000 young lives every year, according to the organization.
Mr Amjad, Climate Change Advisor at the KP Planning and Development (P&D) Department, said that practical measures are underway to install zig-zag technology at brick kilns in the provincial capital to combat rising pollution levels.
Speaking to Lead Pakistan, Mr Amjad added that industries in the province contributing to environmental pollution have been directed to install the latest technology to reduce the release of toxic pollutants into the air.
However, he acknowledged that neither the provincial Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nor the provincial government currently has an immediate plan to address the recent spike in pollution, highlighting the need for more coordinated efforts to tackle the issue.
Khyber Teaching Hospital’s spokesperson Sajjad Khan said that there has been a noticeable rise in the number of pulmonary patients in recent days.
Previously, around 300 patients would visit the outpatient department (OPD) for pulmonary or medical issues, but now that number has surged to between 500 and 600.
“A significant portion of these patients are children,” he added.
Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) is experiencing an increase in patients visiting OPD for chest and other infections, with children being particularly affected due to the dry weather, said hospital officials.
