Lahore ranked 3rd most polluted in world

LAHORE:

The metropolis ranked third among the world's most polluted major cities on IQAir's live air quality tracker on Monday.

Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 174, as pollution remained a concern across Punjab ahead of the peak winter smog season.

The city's position and pollution reading fluctuated during the day. IQAir's Lahore city page recorded an AQI of 139 at 3pm, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) identified as the main pollutant at 51 micrograms per cubic metre. The reading placed Lahore in the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' category on the US AQI scale.

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency's monitoring data showed considerable variation in air quality across the province.

Pakpattan recorded an AQI of 210, followed by Multan at 204, Sargodha 195, Vehari 178, Kot Addu 176, Dera Ghazi Khan 165 and Khushab 160. Mandi Bahauddin recorded an AQI of 159, Sahiwal 158, Jhelum 157 and Attock 156.

Nankana Sahib recorded the lowest reading at 35.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted dry weather in most districts of Punjab on Tuesday, with cold conditions expected in the morning and night in hilly areas.

Lahore's maximum temperature was forecast to range between 29°C and 31°C on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is no immediate indication of rain-related relief for Lahore.