Days after Pakistan blamed India for the worst air pollution in Lahore and Karachi, New Delhi said it did not receive any formal notification from Islamabad for holding diplomatic discussions over the issue. According to a report by Dawn, senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb cautioned citizens about smog from India, saying winds would continue to blow towards Lahore for at least one week.
She had said Punjab would write to the Foreign Office on Monday (November 4) to take up the issue with New Delhi. However, reacting to the claim, Randhir Jaiswal, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, said the department has not received any request from the Pakistani side.
Pakistan's second-largest city has been facing extreme pollution and the town. The air quality index (AQI) hit more than 1,900 last week. Switzerland-based air quality watchdog IQAir categorised the air quality as "hazardous". The provincial minister, during a press conference, said easterly winds from Amritsar and Chandigarh were spiking the air quality index in Lahore to over 1,000 for the past two days.
"The wind from India towards Lahore…is taking the smog to dangerous levels and the wind is likely to sustain its direction for at least next week… People should take care of themselves by avoiding unnecessarily coming out of their houses. The elderly and children should be particularly careful…," Dawn quoted the minister as saying during the presser.
Air pollution in India
New Delhi battles intense pollution every winter as cold air traps emissions, dust, and smoke from farm fires in the adjoining farming states of Punjab and Haryana, forcing frequent school closures and construction curbs in response.
Air quality in the region is expected to stay 'very poor' until Wednesday, the earth sciences ministry said, and is likely to range from 'very poor' to 'severe' for the subsequent six days. The CPCB says a rating of severe, in the range of 401 and 500 on its index, affects the healthy and can have serious effects on those already suffering diseases.
IQAir has rated New Delhi the world's most polluted capital for four years in a row, but poor air quality is a common winter problem across South Asia.
(With inputs from agencies)
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