Lahore's air quality remains unhealthy as AQI reaches 269
“Air pollution continued to grip Lahore, with the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 269, indicating unhealthy air quality. Wind speed in the city was recorded at 5 kilometres per hour, blowing …”
Wind speed in the city was recorded at 5 kilometres per hour, blowing from the northwest. Winds are expected to pick up to 11 kilometres per hour by the afternoon, potentially bringing some improvement in air quality.
On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, an anti-smog operation is underway across the province, with authorities intensifying action against local sources of pollution. During the past 24 hours, enforcement teams took action against industrial units, brick kilns, plastic-related businesses and commercial cooking points over violations of environmental regulations, imposing fines worth millions of rupees.
Authorities inspected 272 industrial units across Punjab, sealing 11 and demolishing two for violations. Fines amounting to Rs1.325 million were also imposed. In a crackdown on brick kilns, 513 units were inspected, 24 sealed and six demolished, while eight cases were registered.
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A total of Rs1.8 million in fines was imposed. As part of the campaign against substandard plastic, officials inspected 183 locations and seized 294 kilogrammes of plastic, imposing an additional fine of Rs30,000. To control smoke emissions, 92 barbecue outlets and commercial cooking points were inspected.
Suction hoods were installed at 58 locations, while three establishments were sealed. Authorities said monitoring had been tightened to ensure that suction hoods installed at commercial kitchens and barbecue outlets were functioning effectively.
On the chief minister's directives, drone squads, night squads and Hawk Eye field teams are also actively monitoring the situation, with round-the-clock surveillance and immediate action against violations. Wind speed, direction and air pollution levels are being continuously monitored using scientific data from Climate Watch, while anti-smog measures are being implemented in accordance with prevailing weather conditions.
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said weather conditions were beyond the government's control, but regulating local sources of pollution was its responsibility, adding that no leniency would be shown in enforcing environmental laws. She urged farmers to refrain from burning crop residue and appealed to citizens to avoid activities that produce smoke and contribute to air pollution.
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