Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Photo: NASA
A recent satellite image from NASA shows a thick blanket of toxic smog covering eastern Pakistan and northern India. The image highlights significant pollution in Lahore and New Delhi, with both cities engulfed in dense grey smog.
Lahore, a city with 14 million residents and numerous factories, is one of the world's most polluted cities. This month, it reached record pollution levels, with Swiss group IQAir recording an index score of 1165, far surpassing safe limits.
In New Delhi, the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains dangerously high, hovering around 350. For context, an AQI score below 50 is considered safe, indicating the hazardous levels of pollution facing residents in both cities.
In response to the toxic air, Pakistan has temporarily closed schools in several areas, including Lahore, until November 17. The move aims to reduce children's exposure to the severe pollution levels.
Multan, another Pakistani city around 350 km from Lahore, has also faced extreme pollution, with AQI levels surpassing 2,000 last week, according to reports from news agency AFP.
Authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province have restricted access to parks, zoos, and other public spaces. Additionally, tuk-tuks with polluting two-stroke engines and restaurants using unfiltered barbecues have been banned.
A “smog war room” has been established in Punjab, Pakistan, where teams from eight departments work to control farm waste burning and manage traffic to combat pollution.
The chief pollutant is PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 exposure is associated with serious health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and is particularly harmful to children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.