The air quality in Lahore deteriorated once again on Tuesday, slipping back into the “hazardous” zone after showing temporary signs of improvement.
By mid-morning, Lahore had climbed to the second spot on the global pollution rankings, as per live updates from a Swiss air quality monitoring organization.
The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at a severe 395, placing it among the most polluted regions worldwide.
Data from IQAir highlighted that an AQI level above 300 poses serious health hazards.
The concentration of PM2.5 particles — tiny pollutants known to cause significant health risks — was measured at 54.5 times above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended annual limit.
Meanwhile, with the recent decline in smog levels, the provincial government has extended operational hours for the hospitality sector.
A new directive issued by the Environmental Protection Department allows hotels and restaurants to stay open until 10 pm, compared to the earlier restriction of 8 pm.
According to the notification, dine-in, takeaway, and parking lot dining services are now permitted until 10 pm, while home delivery services remain unaffected.
