LAHORE – School going students in the provincial capital Lahore are likely to get long weekend, with a Friday holiday, amid dangerous levels of smog.
The city of over 15 million is grappling with worst air quality as the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovers around 500, indicating high levels of fine particulate matter in the air. The current conditions pose significant health risks to residents, especially those vulnerable to this toxicity.
The situation is not limited to Lahore; the nearby cities are facing toxic smog. Amid ‘calamitous’ levels of smog in Punjab province, the government is considering more steps like closing schools three days a week, per reports.
Punjab Environmental Protection Agency will make final decision in early November meeting, with students closely following the development.
The government of Punjab also announced ‘green lockdown’ in most polluted areas, prohibiting construction, restricting auto-rickshaws, limiting commercial generators, and banning outdoor barbecues.
Affected areas include Shalimar Hill to Gulshan Cinema and Abbott Road. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz plans to contact the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab about the smog crisis, and a special assembly session will address the escalating issue.
‘Green lockdown’ imposed in parts of Lahore amid rising smog
