Chinese environmental team to investigate surge in Lahore smog

LAHORE: Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has decided to invite a special team of Chinese environmental experts in Lahore next week to investigate the actual reasons behind the surge in smog in Lahore.

This decision to seek international consultancy on smog-related issues was reached during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Prevention of Smog.

The meeting involved detailed consultations with environmental and health experts, where the current smog situation in Lahore and other cities of Punjab was discussed.

Naqvi further said that combating smog requires more than mere hearsay and speculation. He stressed the importance of implementing comprehensive measures based on authentic data to safeguard public health.

He also urged public to wear masks.

Participating in the meeting were environmental and health experts, along with Provincial Ministers for Agriculture and Industry, Environment, Information, Health, and Transport. Also present were the Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Chairman Planning and Development Board, and Senior Member Board of Revenue, along with secretaries of relevant departments.

Read more: No notification regarding the extension of winter vacations in Punjab schools

WINTER HOLIDAYS IN PUNJAB:

It was expected that the occurrence of smog would instigate a discourse regarding the extension of holidays in Punjab.
However, no such discussion took place during the meeting. According to the official notification from the Punjab government, the winter holidays, which commenced on November 18, 2023, are scheduled to conclude on January 1, 2023.

LAHORE AQI TODAY:

Lahore continues to grapple with severe smog despite artificial rain earlier this month. On Tuesday, it was declared the second most polluted city in the world, even after three consecutive holidays.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lahore reached 288 on Tuesday morning, surpassing the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines by 48 times.