LAHORE : A smog alert has been issued in Punjab as the provincial metropolis tops the list of the most polluted cities in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 202 on Sunday.
Due to ever-increasing pollution, citizens have been advised to take precautionary measures like using masks while going outdoors, stopping children from playing outside and avoiding travelling to heavily polluted areas.
Experts have warned citizens to drive carefully due to reduced visibility, especially in early morning and late at night. Medical experts have advised residents to take precautions to avoid flu, skin allergy, eyesore and other related diseases.
As per environmental experts, the use of substandard fuels such as plastic and rubber especially in the cottage industry around Bund Road is contributing significantly to the deteriorating air quality.
They claimed that the government was not taking effective measures to tackle the issue of air pollution.
Despite Punjab government’s strict actions against smog, carbon emissions, stubble burning and transboundary pollution are the main reasons for smog formation.
Similarly, LDA and other institutions are doing patchwork of roads in Lahore due to which movement of heavy machinery is a routine.
Most of the heavy vehicles owned by public departments such as LWMC, Wasa, LDA, MCL, C&W etc lack fitness certificates and were never checked by relevant authorities.
Likewise, EPA claimed taking all measures to tackle smog. A ban has been imposed on the movement of uncovered sand/mud trollies across the province, the EPA officials claimed.
