Pakistan: Schools across Lahore shut down amid worsening smog

With the smog levels rising and worsening the air quality in Pakistan’s Punjab’s provincial capital Lahore, schools across the city have been shut down for at least three days from Friday to Sunday.

The decision has been taken in view of the worsening smog situation, which is affecting the health of children.

Punjab’s Department of Education has announced the three-day holiday and has stated that discussions are underway to adjust the school timings as well. This was done after Lahore recorded an average air quality index (AQI) of 208 with notable variations across different city areas.

“Children's health is our top priority. A final decision regarding revised school hours will be made after the smog review meeting in early November,” said a spokesperson of the Environmental Protection Department, Punjab.

Punjab’s provincial capital Lahore is ranked the country’s worst polluted city and is rated the second most polluted city in the world. The prime reason for that is the worsening condition due to smog.

While the government has no answers to reduce the smog; the provincial government is trying to reduce the effects by announcing green lockdowns in highly polluted and affected areas of Lahore.

The Environmental Protection Department issued a notification for the green lockdown, aimed at prohibiting construction activities in designated areas. Moreover, entry of auto-rickshaws has also been banned along with the use of commercial generators. As per the notification, outdoor barbeques have also been banned after 8 p.m. in designated areas.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has hinted towards initiating a smog diplomacy between the governments of both India and Pakistan. CM Punjab said that she would be writing a letter to Indian CM Punjab Bhagwant Mann, calling for a collaborative effort and plan to tackle the worsening conditions due to smog on both sides of the border.

Smog has become a major challenge for the Punjab government as it struggles to tackle the fast-paced damages, smog is inflicting on the air quality of Lahore and other areas spread across the Punjab province.

In recent days, hospitals have reported many cases of young children being brought to the hospitals with pediatric and respiratory issues. The doctors in Lahore estimate that the cases have increased by at least 50 per cent within one month.

“It has got a lot worse than the previous year and is affecting the health of children,” said Dr Maria Iftikhar, senior registrar at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital’s Pediatric Department.

Experts said that the Punjab government has been forced into an emergency situation due to smog and is currently taking precautionary measures and steps to protect its citizens from the dangerous air quality.

However, banning the use of rickshaws, barring barbecues at restaurants and stopping the use of commercial generators are steps that cannot be sustained for too long and would attract public criticism against the government.

“The government's green initiative is a time-bound precaution to stop the spread and effect of smog. But this is not something that can be sustained for too long because its effect will directly be on the livelihoods of the people. Rickshaw drivers, restaurant owners and closure of schools will have a direct impact on the livelihoods of the people and this decision will face criticism from the masses and also from the political opposition,” said Imran Gabol, an analyst and resident of Lahore.