Punjab govt rules out Wednesday holiday despite alarming smog levels in Lahore

LAHORE: Caretaker Minister for Environment, Planning, and Forests Punjab, Bilal Afzal, has stated that there will be no holiday in Lahore on Wednesday, despite the alarming levels of smog in the city.

The decision was made during the second important meeting of the Punjab Cabinet Committee on smog control which was chaired by Bilal Afazal.

The provincial minister stated that the government is implementing immediate and effective measures to control smog. However, he dismissed the idea of declaring a holiday on Wednesday in Lahore as a measure to combat smog.

Earlier, the Punjab government had considered implementing a weekly holiday every Wednesday in Lahore to address smog by closing educational institutions, markets, and offices

Lahore’s Air Quality Index on Monday

Lahore’s air quality is worsening as winter approaches, with the city topping Monday’s list as one of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, registering an overall AQI of 304.

Smog: Lahore’s air quality index hits alarming 483

Different levels of AQI

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is divided into several categories to describe the quality of the air. When the AQI falls within the range of 0 to 50, it is classified as “Good,” indicating that the air quality is excellent. If the AQI falls between 51 and 100, it is categorized as “Moderate,” which signifies that the air quality is acceptable. However, when the AQI reaches the range of 101 to 301, it is termed “Unhealthy,” indicating that the air quality has deteriorated and poses health risks. In the most extreme cases, with an AQI ranging from 301 to 500, it is labelled as “Hazardous.”

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