Lahore Air Worse Than Delhi and Kolkata
Lahore air worse than Delhi and Kolkata on Monday evening, as the city topped the world pollution ranking with a US air quality index of 196. The reading put Lahore ahead of New Delhi at 185 and Kolkata at 180, while several other cities in Punjab recorded hazardous air.
The reading came from the AirIQ global city ranking. Almaty recorded 168 and Ulaanbaatar 167. Lahore’s place at the top shows how bad the smog season has become.
Lahore air worse than Delhi as Punjab cities hit 500
The Punjab Environmental Protection Department’s dashboard showed wide variation across Lahore. Kahna Nau recorded an AQI of 481, placing it in the hazardous category, while Shahdara and Multan Road registered readings of 330 and 326.
The dashboard classified Shahdara and Multan Road as very unhealthy. The AQI at Barki Road was recorded at 193 and DHA Phase 6 at 182. Several other monitoring stations remained in the unhealthy or unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups categories.
The picture was worse outside Lahore. Dera Ghazi Khan, Kot Addu, Nankana Sahib and Sahiwal recorded an AQI of 500, while Khushab registered 466. Faisalabad and Vehari recorded 452 each, followed by Okara at 443 and Multan at 412.
The readings show the smog covers much of Punjab, not just Lahore. Lahore’s air crossed 600 only a day earlier, and smog gripped the province last week with Wagah at 500.
What the numbers mean
The US AQI runs from zero to 500. Readings up to 50 count as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, and 101 to 150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Readings from 151 to 200 count as unhealthy for everyone, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, and 301 to 500 as hazardous.
Lahore’s 196 sits in the unhealthy band, which means the air can harm anyone who spends long hours outdoors. Kahna Nau at 481 and the four cities at 500 sit at the top of the hazardous band, where the air is dangerous even for healthy adults.
The Met Department said fog and smog were likely at isolated places in Lahore and several other cities on Tuesday morning. Lahore’s predicted maximum temperature was 31 degrees Celsius, with partly cloudy conditions expected on Wednesday.
Minister claims air is improving
Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said air quality had improved at several monitoring locations because of sustained government action, favourable weather conditions, increased wind speeds and continuous field monitoring.
She also attributed pollution affecting Lahore to winds from India following Diwali fireworks across the border. She said the AQI at the Civil Secretariat had fallen from 614 to 155, Bedian from 746 to 172, Upper Mall from 621 to 177 and Punjab University from 768 to 181. Allama Iqbal Town had recorded a decline from 1,063 to 207, she added.
The minister said enforcement operations had continued against industrial units and brick kilns violating environmental regulations. Over the preceding 24 hours, 11 industrial units were sealed and fines totalling Rs900,000 were imposed.
Authorities also inspected 112 brick kilns, demolished three and sealed four. One case was registered and fines of Rs200,000 imposed. Eight kilogrammes of substandard plastic was also seized.
She said measures were being taken to ensure commercial kitchens and barbecue outlets installed suction hoods to control smoke emissions. Drone, night and field surveillance teams were monitoring pollution sources.
She urged farmers not to burn crop residue, municipal waste or plastic, and advised residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, keep smoke-emitting vehicles off the roads and take particular care of older people, children and those with respiratory illnesses.
Air pollution in Punjab had already reached alarming levels earlier this month, and a year-round study found Lahore’s air stays dirty well beyond the smog season. Delhi was the world’s most polluted city on Diwali eve, which sets the scale for the region’s shared smog problem.
Frequently asked questions
How bad was Lahore’s air on Monday?
Lahore recorded a US AQI of 196 on Monday evening, first in the AirIQ global ranking, ahead of Delhi at 185 and Kolkata at 180.
Which Punjab cities recorded the worst air?
Dera Ghazi Khan, Kot Addu, Nankana Sahib and Sahiwal all recorded 500. Khushab recorded 466, Faisalabad and Vehari 452 each, Okara 443 and Multan 412.
What does an AQI of 196 mean?
A US AQI from 151 to 200 counts as unhealthy for everyone. People should limit long outdoor exertion, and those with heart or lung conditions should take extra care.
What is the government doing about smog?
In the past 24 hours, officials sealed 11 industrial units, fined them Rs900,000, inspected 112 brick kilns, demolished three and sealed four.
Will the smog clear soon?
The Met Department expects fog and smog at isolated places on Tuesday morning, with a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius in Lahore.
