Pakistan imposes ‘green lockdown’ in Lahore smog hotspots as pollution hits hazardous levels

Commuters make their way amid heavy smog in Lahore on October 31, 2024. (AFP)

• Lockdown will restrict pollution-heavy activities, such as outdoor cooking, in designated areas
• Authorities plan a ‘wall of trees’ around the city to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab provincial administration announced Wednesday it will impose “green lockdowns” in Lahore’s smog hotspots as the city faces dangerously high Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, prompting strict measures to protect residents’ health and reduce escalating pollution levels.
The provincial authorities have already implemented several measures to combat Lahore’s hazardous smog, including a mandatory mask policy citywide and a temporary suspension of all outdoor school activities. Additionally, a ban on fireworks will remain in place until January 31, 2025.
The green lockdown will strengthen these efforts by restricting pollution-heavy activities such as outdoor cooking at barbecue spots and banning smoke-emitting public transport from operating in the city’s most affected areas​
“There are eleven hotspots where AQI levels have been calculated, with Shimla Pahari currently identified as a key hotspot,” senior Punjab provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told the province’s legislative assembly while listing down measures taken by the government to deal with the issue.
“Around this area, we’re mapping a green ring to enforce a green lockdown,” she added. “However, it doesn’t mean we are closing Shimla Pahari itself. Instead, we are halting construction activities within a one-kilometer radius from today and redirecting three-wheeler rickshaws away from this hotspot.”
She also noted that the government planned a “wall of trees” around the city to control carbon emissions and improve the air quality.
Lahore’s winter smog has become an annual crisis, with air quality deteriorating to hazardous levels each season. The city consistently ranks among the world’s worst for air pollution, leading to a significant rise in respiratory issues and hospital admissions, especially affecting children and the elderly.
Last year, the severe pollution levels prompted a surge in cases of asthma, lung infections and other respiratory problems among residents, according to media reports.
The problem prompted Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif this week to propose cross-border cooperation with Indian authorities to tackle shared pollution sources, such as crop residue burning, which exacerbates the region’s smog problem​.