LAHORE (The Thursday Times) — Light rain and shifting winds brought some relief from smog in Lahore on Friday, pulling the city’s air quality index (AQI) down to about 111 and moving it off the top of the global pollution rankings, as Delhi took its place as the world’s most polluted major city.
The Swiss air-monitoring group IQAir put Delhi’s AQI at 334 on Friday, a level it rates hazardous. India’s Central Pollution Control Board recorded a higher reading of 403 at 9am local time and rated it severe. The two figures differ because the Swiss and Indian systems use different scales and methods.
Lahore’s AQI was recorded at between 111 and 115 on Friday, placing the city 15th in the global ranking, according to local reports. A reading of up to 50 is considered good, with little or no risk to health.
The Meteorological Department said winds since Thursday evening and light rain in parts of the province had helped clear the air. Lahore was expected to stay cloudy on Friday, with drizzle possible, a high of 29C, and a low of 17C.
Punjab credits its smog plan
Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, said the improvement could not be put down to the weather alone. Action against pollution from industrial units, brick kilns, vehicles, and the burning of waste had also played a part, she said, adding that a permanent, science-based system to fight smog had been set up under the chief minister’s leadership.
She said there had been no coordinated system to control the sources of pollution in 2024, and that prevention, continuous monitoring, and strict action were now the government’s priorities. Lasting progress, she added, also depended on favourable weather.
Lahore topped the global ranking earlier this week, and Punjab’s Environment Protection Agency said air from India reached about half of the province in the 24 hours after Diwali. The provincial government has said schools will run as normal, with no extra smog holidays.
Delhi’s air worsens after Diwali
In Delhi, the official AQI has risen steadily since Diwali on November 8. It was 299 on Tuesday, 313 on Wednesday, and 350 on Thursday afternoon, and 33 of the city’s 58 monitoring stations were in the severe category on Friday. Dense smog cut visibility on the capital’s main roads.
Smog returns every winter across northern India and Pakistan, when cold, heavy air traps emissions from vehicles, construction dust, and smoke from crop burning. Pakistan’s Meteorological Department has forecast more rain and snowfall across the country over the next 24 hours, after a nationwide weather alert this week.
