Air pollution continues to haunt Punjab, Bahawalpur records worst air quality

LAHORE: Air pollution continuing to haunt Lahore and other cities of Punjab as Bahawalpur recorded the worst air quality on Wednesday according to an international environment website.

According to report, Bahawalpur has recorded maximum 620 reading of the hazardous particulate matter on the air quality index.

The AQI reading of Multan was recorded 571, Faisalabad 418, Lahore 364 and Gujranwala 340 today.

Air pollution and smog haunt Punjab with the onset of the winter. Authorities made desperate efforts to contain smog in cities. The province grappled with severe air pollution in previous year, which soared to alarming levels, causing serious public health issues.

Last year for days, Lahore was enveloped by smog, a mix of fog and pollutants, caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal agricultural burning as temperatures drop with cooling air.

Air pollution level in Lahore once soared to more than 80 times of the hygienic level approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The government closed schools and restricted timing of eateries, other businesses and markets to save general public from the adverse impact of toxic pollution and unhygienic air.