Classes Suspended in Lahore Due to Hazardous Air Quality
In a significant move to protect the health of students, authorities have announced the suspension of classes at primary schools across Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city. This decision comes in response to alarming levels of air pollution reported over the weekend, prompting urgent action from education officials.
On Sunday, education authorities in Punjab, the province encompassing Lahore, declared that classes for students up to the fifth grade would be canceled for an entire week. This measure was taken to address the “deteriorating Air Quality Index” in the region. However, it is important to note that classes for students in higher grades will continue as scheduled.
The dire situation escalated as Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index exceeding 1,000 early Sunday morning, according to data from IQAir, a Swiss technology company specializing in air quality monitoring. For context, an Air Quality Index reading above 301 is classified as hazardous. Moreover, the concentration of PM2.5, a particularly dangerous pollutant, reached levels nearly 30 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines for safe air quality.
Environmental lawyer Ahmad Rafay Alam, a member of the Pakistan Climate Change Council, described the pollution levels in Lahore as being “outside the range of classification.” He characterized the situation as nothing short of an “apocalypse,” highlighting the severity of the crisis.
As of Monday afternoon, IQAir data indicated that Lahore ranked as the world’s second-most-polluted city, following New Delhi, India. Lahore has a troubling history of consistently appearing at the top of the global pollution rankings, contributing to Pakistan’s status as one of the four countries with the worst air pollution worldwide last year.
The repercussions of such extreme pollution are grave. Mr. Alam pointed out that individuals residing in Pakistani cities, like Lahore, typically lose an average of two years of life expectancy due to the adverse effects of poor air quality. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for effective measures to combat pollution and safeguard public health.
