Lahore: The World’s Most Polluted City

Lahore has recently been identified as the world’s most polluted city, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 394, which is 55.6 times above the World Health Organization’s air quality guideline. This alarming situation is driven by several key factors:

Major Causes of Pollution in Lahore

1. Vehicular Emissions: The use of low-quality fuel in vehicles is a significant contributor, releasing high levels of particulate matter and creating smog across the city.
2. Industrial Activities: Factories, especially brick kilns and coal-fired power plants like the 1320 MW Sahiwal plant, emit pollutants that further degrade air quality.
3. Urban Development: Rapid urbanization in the last two decades has reduced green spaces, hindering pollutant dispersal. Deforestation accompanying urban expansion has limited the natural filtering capacity for pollutants.
4. Climate and Geography: During winter, temperature inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. Lahore’s topography, being low-lying and surrounded by hills, exacerbates this issue by preventing pollutants from dispersing effectively.
5. Stubble Burning: Both Indian and Pakistani farmers burn crop residue in winter, significantly increasing air pollution in the region. This practice contributes heavily to smog during colder months, compounding Lahore’s pollution levels.