The toxic smog has been heavy over the big city of Lahore and 17 other regions in the state of Punjab for almost a month. During the month, 1.8 million people have had to seek medical care because of the smog, the authorities state.
– Most of them suffered from respiratory diseases and burning eyes, says Ahsan Riaz, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.
No outdoor activities
To protect the population, outdoor activities are prohibited in the state from November 11 to 17. The only gatherings that are exempt from the ban are religious and the only shops that are allowed to be open are pharmacies, grocery stores and gas stations. Schools are also closed, the Lahore-based newspaper reports The Nation.
Anyone who does not comply with the ban will be severely punished, the board warns, according to The Nation.
Outside, most tree care workers will stay, as the trees must be washed three times a day in the hope that they will catch the smog, the newspaper writes.
Devastating effects on children
Unicef’s representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, says in a statement that the government and authorities must intensify their efforts to reduce air pollution as millions of children under the age of five are in immediate danger.
“Before these record levels, about twelve percent of child mortality was due to air pollution. It will take time to calculate how this year’s huge smog affects (the population), but we know that a doubling or tripling has devastating effects on children and pregnant women in particular,” notes Abdullah Fadil.
In the video above, you can see the smog that can even be detected from space.