Lahore, November 06, 20240- The Government of Punjab announced the closure of all schools from primary to 12th grade until November 17 due to worsening air quality in Lahore, which has made the city the world’s most polluted. The smog, a mix of fog and pollutants such as low-grade diesel fumes, agricultural burn-off, and winter cooling, has blanketed the city for days.
Lahore, with a population of 14 million, has been struggling with dangerously high levels of pollution. On Wednesday, air quality monitoring by IQAir showed Lahore’s AQI (Air Quality Index) reached a “hazardous” level of 1,165 early in the morning, remaining within the same hazardous zone throughout the afternoon.
Prolonged exposure to such toxic air has severe health impacts, including strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In response, the provincial government issued a notification declaring that schools in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan will remain closed until November 17. Educational institutions in these areas will shift to online teaching from November 7 to November 17.
The official notification specifies that the closure will apply to the districts of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, and Khanewal.
Previously, on November 3, the provincial government had announced the closure of schools for children up to the age of 10, including both public and private institutions, for a one-week period.
Additionally, Punjab has set up a “smog war room” to address the severe pollution. The war room committee will monitor daily weather and air quality forecasts and assess the actions of field officers. Twice-daily sessions will analyze data and provide updates, including daily advisories on pollution control measures.
This urgent action aims to mitigate the ongoing health crisis and provide a coordinated response to the environmental disaster.
