Smoky situation: People walking around a park amid smoggy conditions in Lahore. — AFP
The country’s eastern Punjab province banned entry to parks, zoos, playgrounds and other public spaces to protect the public from polluted air, and is considering closing down universities after shutting schools earlier this week.
The air quality in Lahore has deteriorated drastically, earning it the rank of the world’s most polluted city from Swiss air purification equipment maker IQAir.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. There’s a possibility of closing universities and colleges on Monday to reduce vehicle emissions,” said Jahangir Anwar, Secretary of the Environment Protection Department Punjab.
Friday’s order from the regional government placed a “complete ban on public entry in all parks... zoos, playgrounds, historical places, monuments, museums and joy/play lands” until Nov 17 in areas including Lahore.
In addition to shutting schools, the province has already taken other steps such as suggesting half of employees work from home and banning rickshaws in certain areas.
South Asia annually faces severe pollution due to trapped dust, emissions and stubble burning – the practice of setting fire to fields after harvest. — Reuters
