LAHORE (Dunya News) – Polluted winds moving at a speed of 5 km/h from New Delhi have started entering Pakistan, pushing Lahore to the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world.
According to officials, winds from Chandigarh, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, and Patiala are moving toward Gujranwala, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Winds are also blowing from Indian cities Suratgarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaipur toward Pakistani regions.
Due to the Diwali, the festival of light, being celebrated in India, the air quality in Lahore and other cities of Punjab will be affected by the polluted winds coming from across the border. On Diwali, fireworks are widely used in India, which leads to severe air pollution in many cities.
The Punjab government has taken precautionary measures in advance to reduce air pollution during the Diwali festival. Since last night, the government has begun water spraying operations. Anti-smog guns are being used in high-pollution areas.
A slight improvement in air quality is expected between 1 pm and 5 pm. The sky will remain clear in the afternoon, with light haze present.
Currently, smog guns are actively operating in various parts of Lahore, including Iqbal Town, Multan Road, Ravi Road, Nishter Colony, Upper Mall Scheme, Shahdara Flyover, and Thokar Niaz Baig, in order to remove harmful particles in the air and provide cleaner air to citizens.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Lahore's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 332 on Monday morning, while Faisalabad’s AQI stands at 325, Sheikhupura is at 311, Dera Ghazi Khan at 239, Gujranwala at 233, and Multan at 224.