The smog in Lahore has become one of the latest plights of the nation as of late, especially since its dangers have reached unprecedented levels this year. As per BBC, the air quality index rose to the 1000 point several times this past week. Just to put it into perspective, anything that crosses 300 is considered alarming.
Smog induces a constricting, burning-like sensation down your throat once you are exposed to it, and it only worsens as the city approaches the brunt of winter. Masks become a basic necessity at this point in time, though for individuals already living with lung-related diseases, the situation can take a turn for the worse.
These conditions have even pushed celebrities like Saba Qamar to speak out. “Dear Lahore, I just want to breathe. The smog is thick, suffocating, and I can feel it in every breath. For those of us with asthma, it’s more than just discomfort. It’s a struggle to live each moment. Please, clear skies, come back soon,” Saba pleaded on Instagram Stories.
The persistent smog typically becomes a cause of concern for the city towards the end of the year, enforcing a shroud of pollution in the air that is difficult to power through. And Saba isn’t the only one talking about it.
Nadia Jamil issued an urgent statement on her Instagram handle to raise awareness on the gravity of the issue. “You can live without food and water for a few days. You can survive without cars, roads, and buildings. We cannot survive for more than a few minutes without breathing. We cannot breathe effectively without clean air,” she wrote.
“People who cannot afford filters, people exposed to open air for 24 hours, are people exposed to the most toxic air on planet Earth today,” she continued. Nadia further urged those with any educational expertise, the environmentalists, and clean energy experts “in our midst” to make use of all available resources and find urgent solutions.
“Lahoris are choking. Small children are being exposed to dangerous levels of poison in the air,” she emphasised in all capitals. She then listed several health issues that the public is at risk of developing, including cancer, organ (lung, eye, and skin) diseases, and genetic mutations, all of which can lead to death.
“Please listen to the World Health Organisation. Save Lahoris. [We are] imploring those in charge,” she finally said, tagging politicians under her post.
Recently, authorities have employed measures to evade the situation if not eliminate it entirely. As per BBC, schools have been shut down as part of a “green lockdown”, which has reduced the traffic of vehicles on busy streets that can contribute to the rising toxicity levels in the air.
The Lahore High Court has even imposed a curfew on commercial activity, ordering markets across the province to wrap up business by 8PM, additionally expecting a full closure on Sundays. Recreational spots have been shut down for a stated period of time.
However, Lahoris know that this is only the beginning and weather conditions are sure to worsen as the season progresses. Smog is primarily caused by the excessive burning of cut stalks once the harvest period is over, in order for the farmers to prepare the fields for a new set of crops.
Given the bustling nature of the city, the fumes from everyday activities only fuel the toxic accumulation spanning the city’s natural ceiling.
