According to a Swiss air quality monitoring organisation, a thick cloud of haze that blanketed Pakistan’s cultural capital on Wednesday has earned it the dubious distinction of being the world’s most polluted city.
According to platform IQAir, Lahore has risen to the top of its polluted cities list, with an air quality index of 203 on the United States Air Quality Index scale, compared to second-placed Dehli, India, which has an index of 183. In that position at 0949 GMT, both cities had exchanged positions at least once throughout the course of the morning.
Smog and particle-laden air have afflicted thousands of people suffering from respiratory and other ailments, prompting many to remain at home on especially polluted days such as Wednesday.
Dhaka, Bangladesh, came in third place with a value of 169, while Kolkata, India, came in fourth place with a reading of 168, according to the index. A day ago, Lahore was ranked third in the country.
Lahore was originally known as the “City of Gardens” because of the abundance of gardens that existed during the Mughal Empire, which spanned the 16th to the 19th century. Because of the city’s intense urbanisation and rapid population expansion, there is limited space for greenery in the city, which is Pakistan’s second biggest after the metropolis Karachi.
In order to prevent respiratory infections, doctors advise patients to use face masks while outside in the cold.
