LAHORE - Different areas of Lahore city Sunday witnessed hazardous air quality levels, making the provincial capital one of the most polluted city in the world.
According to the air pollution data, the provincial capital recorded the hazardous particulate matter (PM) rating of 427 in Township and 418 in Allama Iqbal Town. The average air quality of the city at the index was measured at 343. The AQI, as high as 151 to 200, is considered unhealthy while an AQI rating between 201 and 300 is more harmful. The AQI over 300 is dubbed extremely hazardous.
According to experts, increase in the air pollution in winter, change in wind speed and wind direction, and sliding minimum temperature increase air pollution. The air becomes heavier in the winter, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted. As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers a city. The smoke produced by burning crop remnants, coal, garbage, oil and tyres enters the atmosphere, and its effects appear on the onset of winter and last the end of the season.