Thick, toxic smoke covering eastern Pakistan and northern India since last month is clearly visible in NASA satellite images. This grey smog, stretching from Punjab province in Pakistan to India's capital, New Delhi, has become a serious health threat to millions of people.
In response to the harmful effects of intense pollution on public health, authorities in Pakistan have closed schools and public spaces. Images from Lahore and Multan over the weekend revealed that the dense smoke had enveloped the cities, obscuring streets and buildings.
WINTER AIR POLLUTION SURGE
Air pollution in South Asia worsens every winter due to farmers burning agricultural waste, coal-powered energy plants, heavy traffic, and stagnant weather conditions. During this time, cold and dry air traps pollutants, preventing them from dispersing, unlike in warmer weather when they rise into the atmosphere.
DANGEROUSLY HIGH POLLUTION LEVELS
In Lahore, the air quality index exceeded 1200 this season, with IQAir data categorizing it as "hazardous." Other regions of Punjab also recorded pollution levels above 1000.
PM2.5 levels, which are 110 times higher than the World Health Organization's safe limit, are one of the smallest and most dangerous components of the pollution. These particles can penetrate deep into lung tissues when inhaled, leading to heart and lung diseases, cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.
OVER 30,000 TREATED FOR RESPIRATORY ISSUES
Hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed with patients suffering from respiratory problems caused by the toxic smog. Health authorities in Punjab reported that more than 30,000 people in affected areas have been treated for respiratory illnesses, according to the Associated Press.
