Lahore's Deadly Smog, A Looming Health Emergency
Lahore faces a deadly smog crisis with hazardous air quality affecting residents' health. Authorities have closed schools and residents are turning to costly air purifiers. Long-term solutions are urgently needed.
Lahore is grappling with an intense smog crisis, pushing the city into survival mode. The air quality has worsened to hazardous levels, forcing widespread closures and creating an atmosphere of desperation among residents.
The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) has been dangerously high, with certain areas surpassing 1,200, making it one of the worst in the world. This has caused a significant rise in respiratory and heart diseases, overwhelming hospitals with thousands of patients.
Natasha Sohail, a 29-year-old teacher suffering from asthma, shared her experience: "It's been horrible; I've been sick on and off for the last 10 days." She criticized the government's temporary fixes, calling them ineffective in addressing the ongoing crisis.
Dr. Ashraf Nizami, President of the Pakistan Medical Association’s Lahore chapter, highlighted the serious mental health impact of the smog, warning that it remains largely unacknowledged.
In response, Senior Minister of Punjab, Marriyum Aurangzeb, presented an anti-smog action plan. She revealed that Lahore had endured 275 days of unhealthy air quality levels last year alone.
Authorities have closed primary and secondary schools, with online learning considered as a backup. Residents are turning to expensive air purifiers to cope with the dangerous air. Natasha Sohail, for example, relies on anti-wheezing medications, inhalers, and four air purifiers at her home.
The smog crisis has become an annual problem, with residents urging the government to implement long-term measures to tackle the root causes of this environmental and health emergency.
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