Punjab capital ranks second on global air pollution chart with AQI close to 300 mark, India\u2019s New Delhi tops rankings
\n Lahore
\nLahore\u2019s pollution levels on Sunday finally witnessed some improvement with its air quality index (AQI) dropping out of the \u201chazardous\u201d level after registering extremely high levels toxins in the atmosphere for weeks as thick smog kept the megapolis shrouded.
\nWith an AQI of 295, \u2014 which is termed \u201cvery unhealthy\u201d \u2014 the provincial capital today emerged as the second most polluted city in the world with India\u2019s New Delhi topping Swiss group IQ Air\u2019s ranking with an AQI of 751.
\nThe city, home to its 14 million residents, has been facing the brunt of the worsening smog crisis that continues to engulf the province prompting authorities to take extraordinary measures to fight off smog.
\nThe crisis hits the most populous province of the country every winter, but air pollution has worsened in the recent years, as a result of cold air trapping dust, low-grade diesel fumes and smoke from illegal stubble burning on fields.
\nThe authorities have blamed the intensifying pollution crisis in Punjab on neighbouring India, where the capital city New Delhi ranked as the most polluted city in the world.
\nAs Punjab continues to battle with spiraling air pollution \u2014 with various cities recording \u201cunprecedented\u201d levels of toxins in the air \u2014 Lahore\u2019s AQI remained well above the 300 mark the on the IQ Air\u2019s list of most polluted cities in the world.
\nAs per the Swiss air quality monitor, anything above the 300 mark on the AQI is considered \u201chazardous\u201d.
\nA day earlier, senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb declared a health emergency in Lahore and Multan, saying that the smog issue had escalated to being a national disaster.
\nReferring to the 10-year anti-smog plan initiated in March by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the senior minister said that all departments had been given specific targets to combat the menace.
\nHer remarks came as schools across the province have closed with instructions to shift towards online classes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Punjab capital ranks second on global air pollution chart with AQI close to 300 mark, India\u2019s New Delhi tops rankings Lahore Lahore\u2019s pollution levels on Sunday finally witnessed some improvement with its air quality index (AQI) dropping out of the \u201chazardous\u201d level after registering extremely high levels toxins in the atmosphere for weeks as thick […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-444097","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n