By Mayank Munjal

Pakistan’s second-largest city of Lahore has been shrouded in a dense layer of hazardous smog for much of November, intensifying health concerns for its residents. The pollution peaked on November 14. Data from the Swiss air-quality monitoring organisation, IQAir, revealed the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) skyrocketed to an unusually high and hazardous 1,110, and tiny particulate matter, or PM2.5, reached a staggering 632 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

In Punjab, where Lahore is located, authorities declared a health emergency during the month, closed schools and held university classes online. They imposed a ban on construction to try to mitigate the impact of the pollution.

The annual pollution in Lahore not only started earlier than usual, but it was also more severe. PM2.5 concentrations frequently surpassed hazardous thresholds — the highest recorded in the past five years.

Across the border in India, Delhi faced a similar battle with toxic air, as pollution levels surged due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

Thick smog shrouding swathes of North India and Pakistan was distinctly visible from satellite imagery. Comparative visuals from Nov. 14 and Nov. 18 show a dramatic expansion of the smog layer.

While Lahore bore the brunt of the pollution on Nov. 14, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further by Nov. 18, partly due to a shift in wind patterns that carried pollutants across borders and within the region.

Every winter, South Asia becomes engulfed in severe pollution as cold air traps emissions, dust, and smoke from agricultural fires. According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), this pollution could cut life expectancy in the region by more than five years.

Continue reading at Reuters…