DUNYA NEWS
Pakistan

Lahore ranks second in global pollution levels with 218 AQI

Primary schools in Lahore have been closed from Nov 4 to 9

LAHORE (Dunya News) - The provincial capital Lahore remains the second most polluted city in the world on Monday as the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 218. 

Although the average smog level has decreased compared to Sunday, the situation is still deemed alarming. 

To protect children from the polluted air, primary schools in Lahore have been closed from Nov 4 to 9. 

Additionally, the Environment Department has imposed a ban on heavy vehicles entering the city on Friday and Sunday. 

The Punjab Environment Department in a major move to combat smog enforced “green lockdown” in parts of Lahore this past week. 

The department issued a notification of the lockdown on Davies Road, Egerton Road, Durand Road and Kashmir Road, along with the areas from Shimla Pahari to Gulshan Cinema and Abbott Road. 

Additionally, the area from Shimla Pahari to the railway station and Empress Road were declared hotspots, and Queen Mary Road and its surroundings also were marked as polluted zones. 

Traffic wardens were deployed on these roads to keep three-wheelers and smoke-emitting vehicles away from ‘hotspots’. 

There was a ban on sweeping open areas without sprinkling water. Barbecue shops would also be required to close by 8pm. 

As a result of the green lockdown, large parking areas outside the NADRA office on Shimla Hill have been eliminated, with alternative parking arranged for one month.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department predicted a minimum temperature of 19 degrees and a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius for Lahore, with humidity levels reaching 77pc. No rain is expected in the city today. 

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