Lahore’s air remains toxic despite raining cats and dogs, citizens alarmed

LAHORE: Despite a heavy spell of rainfall on Wednesday that brought expectations of temporary relief, Lahore’s air quality remained in the unhealthy range, with AQI levels fluctuating between 140 and 160 throughout the day, underscoring the city’s deepening environmental crisis.

Residents reported that even after heavy rain, the sky failed to clear, remaining grey and hazy rather than returning to a normal blue. Visible smog continued to linger across multiple parts of the city, raising concerns that rainfall is no longer providing the cleansing effect it once did.

The persistent pollution levels come at a time when Lahore’s environmental condition is already under global scrutiny. Just a week earlier, the city had topped international air pollution rankings with an AQI of 176, placing it in the hazardous category alongside major global pollution hotspots including Jakarta, Delhi, Cairo, and Dhaka.

On Wednesday, while Lahore recorded slightly lower readings than its peak last week, its AQI remained firmly in the unhealthy range, reinforcing concerns that poor air quality is becoming a consistent, year-round condition rather than a seasonal winter smog event.

Broader regional crisis

Real-time air quality data indicates that Lahore’s situation is part of a wider provincial environmental emergency. On the same day, several Punjab cities recorded even more severe pollution levels than the provincial capital. Dera Ghazi Khan registered an AQI of 195, followed by Faisalabad at 192, Rahim Yar Khan at 190, Multan at 188, and Jhang Sadr at 169, placing multiple urban centres in the “very unhealthy” category.

Lahore itself recorded an AQI of 168 at one point, ranking it only the seventh most polluted city in Punjab during that period, highlighting the scale of the regional crisis.

Persistent smog beyond winter

Environmental observers note that Lahore’s pollution pattern has shifted significantly in recent years. What was once primarily a winter smog phenomenon is now extending across seasons, with residents increasingly reporting poor visibility and grey skies even after rainfall.

At best, AQI levels are now fluctuating between “moderate” and “unhealthy,” with extended periods of exposure raising ongoing public health concerns.

Government response and long-term measures

In response to the worsening situation, the Punjab government has intensified its anti-smog strategy under the Smog Control Strategy 2024–25 and the Punjab Clean Air Program, moving towards a more technology-driven and enforcement-heavy approach.

Authorities have approved a Rs 3 billion plan to deploy 30 fog cannon systems mounted on electric trucks to reduce airborne dust and particulate matter. AI-based satellite monitoring and drone surveillance are also being used to track pollution hotspots and identify illegal crop burning activities in real time.

On the agricultural front, subsidies have been introduced for Super Seeders and Rice Straw Shredders to discourage stubble burning, a major contributor to seasonal smog.

Industrial enforcement has also been tightened, with over 2,575 illegal industrial units demolished and thousands of premises sealed. In addition, more than 485 brick kilns have been either demolished or converted to zig-zag technology to reduce emissions.

Urban interventions under the “Suthra Punjab” campaign include large-scale dust suppression efforts through water bowsers and mist sprinklers deployed across tens of thousands of kilometres of road networks.

Despite these interventions, environmental monitoring shows that air quality in Lahore continues to hover between moderate and unhealthy levels for most of the year.

While officials maintain that these measures are beginning to show improvements in PM2.5 levels compared to previous years, residents continue to experience prolonged smog conditions, with the recent rainfall offering little visible relief.

For now, Lahore’s grey skies remain a stark reminder that the battle for clean air is far from over.