Lahore's air pollution eases

Air pollution in Lahore eased and Punjab’s provincial capital has dropped to number third on the list of the world’s most polluted cities.

According to details shared by the Punjab Environment Protection Department, the average ratio of smog in Lahore was recorded at 215%.

Air quality of Lahore’s Sharah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, DHA and Mall Road remained extremely dangerous after being recorded 362, 403 and 400, respectively. The people have been advised to use facemasks while leaving their homes.

The AQI is calculated based on five categories of pollution: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

AQI as high as 151-200 is considered unhealthy, while an AQI rating between 201 to 300 is more harmful and the AQI over 300 is termed extremely toxic.

According to experts, an increase in air pollution used to be recorded in the winter. A change in the wind speed, wind direction and sliding minimum temperature increases air pollution.

The air becomes heavier in the winter as compared to summer, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted. As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers a city.