UK Edition
Schools forced to close as smog chokes Pakistan's second city
Schools in Pakistan's second largest city have been forced to close because of dangerous levels of smog.
Officials made the decision for the first time after a pall of polluted air hanging over Lahore since last week sent air quality measures plummeting.
A mixture of a drop in temperature, vehicle emissions, dirty industry and stubble burning have produced the toxic fog, experts say.
“Due to a sudden increase in smog, all schools in Lahore will remain closed tomorrow,” Punjab's chief minister, Usman Buzdar, said late on Wednesday.
On Wednesday the city's United States consulate measured “extremely hazardous” levels of air pollution and warned residents to stay inside.
The consulate's air quality monitor showed that the concentration of small particles of pollution crept over 600 late on Wednesday. Levels over 100 are considered unhealthy and levels over 200 considered very unhealthy.
“Please take all precautions to stay indoors keeping doors and windows closed,” US officials said.
“Do not burn anything in or near your home. Do not travel if at all possible until pollution levels decrease.”
The smog has been caused in part by widespread crop burning in the surrounding province. The practice is popular among poor farmers, who set fire to remnants of the previous season's crop to prepare the land for their next planting.
Heavy traffic, open fires for cooking and warmth as well as years of cutting down trees have all contributed to the city's poor air quality.
South Asia has become the world epicentre for smog in recent years after Chinese cities have appeared partly to clean themselves up.
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are home to 18 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world with Gurugram, south west of New Delhi, taking the top spot according to a study released by released by Greenpeace and IQ AirVisual, which collects worldwide air pollution.
Politicians in India and Pakistan have each blamed the other for the rise of the smog. Smog in Delhi earlier this week caused officials to close schools, divert flights and limit the number of vehicles allowed on the city's roads.
In Lahore, the air quality measure had improved by Thursday morning, with the level falling to around 150. Officials said rain had helped clean the air.
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