Lahore, November 7 (IANS). In Pakistan’s Punjab province, a three-year-old girl has filed a petition against the local government. In fact, the province, especially its capital Lahore, is suffering from the severe effects of smog, due to which the air quality remains extremely hazardous.
Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) topped the global ranking on Thursday morning. The AQI level was more than 800 points, making the air there seriously hazardous for residents.
According to Swiss air quality monitor ‘IQ-Air’, Lahore tops the list of cities with the highest AQI in the world. On many occasions its level has even crossed 1000.
Due to prolonged bad weather, it became impossible for people to come out of their homes. Hospitals are also filling up with people suffering from respiratory problems.
Thousands of citizens of the province have become vulnerable to respiratory diseases due to poor air quality. The provincial government and doctors have advised everyone to wear masks whenever they leave their homes.
The provincial government has declared a smog emergency across the province. All educational institutions up to higher secondary level in Lahore and other districts have been closed till 17 November.
Meanwhile, a three-year-old girl on Thursday filed a case in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the provincial government for failing to control air pollution.
Petitioner Amal Sekhera, through his lawyer, said in the petition that small children and the elderly are seriously affected by air pollution and he sought justice for himself, his friends and future generations.
“Under Article 99-A of the Constitution, the government is obliged to provide a clean and healthy environment to the citizens,” the petition said.
The petition criticized the Punjab government for failing to protect the fundamental rights given in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Senior provincial minister of the Punjab government, Maryam Aurangzeb, has said that the intensity of the haze is expected to continue for at least 10 more days, due to which educational institutions have been closed and people have been advised to wear masks.
Many other cities like Multan and Gujranwala are also badly affected by the current weather conditions.
–IANS
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