Smog enters Lahore, quality index rises to 466
(FILES) In this file photo taken on January 24, 2019 a Pakistani barber shaves a customer alongside a road amid heavy fog and smog conditions in Lahore. - India dominated a list of the world's most polluted cities in 2018, taking 22 of the top 30 spots, according to a Greenpeace report. Cities in China, Pakistan and Bangladesh were also placed in the top 30. (Photo by ARIF ALI / AFP)
Lahore’s air quality remained ‘hazardous’ with an air quality ranking of 447, according to Air Visual’s Air Quality Index (AQI) list on Wednesday.
The Punjab capital is ranked the second most polluted city in the world, according to Air Visual, which records air pollution levels across the globe in real time. Delhi holds the top spot, with an AQI of 556 recorded on Wednesday.
An AQI ranking between 301-500 (or above) is classified as ‘hazardous’ and would “trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected”, according to Air Now.
Government officials blame the smog on crop burnings in India. Experts, however, say that the situation is caused by pollution in the country.