Lahore topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world Friday morning after its air quality level reached a hazardous 443.
People in the city struggled to breathe as the Air Quality Index or AQI was recorded more than 500 in various neighbourhoods.
A level of 519 was recorded near Davis Road and 501 was recorded near the University of Punjab.
At the time this report was filed, Lahore’s AQI was still the world. China, India, Mongolia, and Afghanistan followed suit.
Punjab has, in the last few months, been taking measures to control smog in the province after a case was filed against it in the Lahore High Court.
According to the government, traffic is the main source of air pollution, and to counter this problem, the government is working on big projects such as more flyovers and underpasses.
A report submitted in court by the Judicial Water Environment Commission recommended the following steps be taken to counter smog:
Recently, Punjab made M-tags compulsory for vehicles on the M-2 motorway.
Punjab Inspector-General Inam Ghani said that the new restriction will be imposed on all highways connecting to the Ravi Toll Plaza.
M-Tag is a pre-paid Radio Frequency Identification installed at the top right corner of the windshield of a vehicle.
Scanners at toll plazas read M-tags on the vehicles as they pass through them and deduct the tax applicable on them.
