Lahore [Pakistan], October 20, : For the second time in a week, Pakistan's Lahore has been ranked as the world's most polluted city, despite the provincial government's attempts to tackle smog and air pollution.
The provincial capital reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 208, placing it at the top, while New Delhi followed in second with a score of 164.
Additionally, the local AQI monitoring by the US embassy indicated a level of 252 for the city, which is considered very unhealthy for everyone, Express Tribune reported.
It's concerning that Lahore was named the most polluted city on a day when the Punjab government had shut down educational institutions and traffic was minimal due to holidays, prompting questions about previous assessments that attributed pollution primarily to transportation.
On October 12, Lahore also reported the worst air quality globally, alarming environmental officials about an early start to the smog season. Last year, the city first topped the list of the most polluted cities in the final week of October during the smog season.
A senior official from the environment protection and climate change department told Express Tribune, "This year is particularly alarming as we once again find ourselves at the top of the list over the past week, and just two days ago, Lahore was ranked as the second most polluted city in the world."
He noted that traffic levels in other major cities near Lahore were also low on Saturday.
The official stated that the environment department's surveys indicated that transport vehicles accounted for 39 per cent of the smog in Lahore.
According to the report, the global AQI rankings revealed that the city remained the most polluted despite the reduced traffic.
Munawar Sabir, a former chairperson of the Punjab University Geography Department, also emphasised that the situation is critical and urged the government and policymakers to take it seriously.
He also said, "The circumstances indicate that we are moving towards environmental destruction. The pollution level means that we are living in the world's most dirty air, which will damage life in the region."
He further said that a source of hope was that the government and environment ministry were taking comprehensive steps to address the situation.
Provincial Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has mobilised the police, education, traffic, and environment protection departments, as well as local governments, to implement measures aimed at reducing smog.
She has also initiated a crackdown on factories, brick kilns, and farmers contributing to air pollution.
Additionally, action is being taken against industrial units that have not installed emission control systems.
The most densely populated areas of Lahore and other major cities are experiencing the worst impacts of smog.