air pollution (symbolic)
Recently, IQ Air, an organization that closely monitors air quality, published a list of the 100 most polluted cities in the world. In the list of its top 10 cities, two names: Delhi and Mumbai were from India, while Lahore remains the most polluted city in the world, and today, according to a Pakistani news organization, ranks first among most polluted cities in the world. the world with an AQI of 708.
Delhi is second in this regard. Everyone knows the reasons why Delhi is polluted. The question is whether Lahore’s reasons are the same or something different. One of the main reasons for pollution in Lahore is stubble burning. In addition to vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, geography and climatic conditions, there is also a coal-fired power plant.
Take a look at how these things are polluting Lahore.
First – Just as Delhi complains that stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana pollutes the air here. More or less the situation is the same in Lahore too. Here too, farmers in Punjab province, which is part of Pakistan, burn rice residue after harvesting it during the winter in order to prepare the fields for the next harvest. This is one of the main reasons for the increase in pollution in Lahore.
Second – Just as the presence of thousands of vehicles in Delhi has increased pollution, the same is true in Lahore. The number of vehicles here has been continuously increasing day by day in recent years. Also, due to non-use of good quality fuel, these vehicles emit PM 2.5, which pollutes the air of Lahore.
third – There are large scale factories in and around Lahore. Furthermore, the number of brick kilns, i.e. chimneys, is also a cause of increased pollution. These industrial units emit harmful substances. Which also contains some very fine particles. These mix with already deteriorated air and worsen air quality.
Four – One of the reasons for Lahore’s pollution is its geography and the climatic conditions of the place. In fact, firstly, the presence of Lahore in the low-lying area and the presence of hills in the surrounding geography make the situation quite worrying. During winter, due to temperature changes, pollutants are trapped near the surface and their spontaneous dispersion ceases, contaminating the air.
Fifth – Another reason is the coal-fired power plants in Punjab province, especially around Lahore. For example, the 1,320 MW Sahiwal power plant in Punjab is powered solely by coal. This power plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Emissions of sulfur and other pollutants from these power plants mix with smog and poison the air.
