South Asia's Air Quality Crisis: Regional Smog Solutions Needed
A thick layer of toxic smog has engulfed northern India and eastern Pakistan, reducing visibility and pushing air quality to hazardous levels. This crisis occurs each year as winter approaches and pollution sources like crop burning, traffic, and coal-fired plants compound the problem.
As of late October, Delhi recorded air quality index (AQI) levels over 250, while Lahore hit “hazardous” levels of 500, far exceeding safe air quality limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Lahore, now labeled the most polluted city globally, faces severe health threats.
The Hindu festival of Diwali, widely celebrated with fireworks, exacerbates smog levels as it coincides with the seasonal pollution peak. Despite a firecracker ban, pollution worsened post-Diwali in both India and Pakistan, further reducing air quality across the region.
The sustained exposure to hazardous air increases the risk of respiratory diseases and can cut years from the lives of millions, as per health experts. Bo…
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