Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Tuesday, 05 November 2024
As the air quality index soared across northern India and Pakistan, two neighbouring cities—Delhi and Lahore—found themselves gasping for breath. While India’s capital grappled with post-Diwali pollution, Lahore’s skies darkened under toxic smog driven by both local emissions and cross-border winds. This is a shared crisis, with each side pointing fingers, but little action that directly addresses the citizens choking under the grey haze.
The air quality index (AQI) in Lahore shot up, reaching 'hazardous' levels, particularly affecting vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. The Punjab Environment Protection Department in Pakistan reported that particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels approached 450—far beyond safe limits.
Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Bokhari blamed eastern winds from India for pushing dangerous air pollutants into Lahore. “The wind direction brings air from India into Pakistan, yet India does not seem to be taking this problem as seriously as it should,” she remarked, urging India to tackle its pollution more earnestly. Lahore’s AQI ranked just behind Delhi, peaking around 280, with forecasts suggesting continued pollution in the days ahead. In response, the Punjab province government closed primary schools and facilities for specially-abled children, advising residents, especially the elderly, to stay indoors.
Across the border in Delhi, the post-Diwali air quality plummeted. The Supreme Court took notice, issuing sharp rebukes to the Delhi government and police for failing to enforce a strict firecracker ban. The court noted widespread violations, even as it stressed that firecrackers remain one of the major contributors to the seasonal pollution spike. The top court asked the Delhi government and the police on the steps that were taken to implement the orders completely banning manufacture, sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital and the action they have taken against the violators. Justice Abhay S. Oka stated, “Firecracker bursting was the major cause of pollution during Diwali, and if the orders of the court are not implemented, it will be a chaotic situation.”
Alongside urban emissions, the ongoing issue of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana added fuel to the fire. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), farm fires jumped significantly around Diwali, with incidents rising from 160 to over 600 in a single day. The CSE report also highlighted that the smog was compounded by an unusually warm Diwali this year.
While the situation worsened in both capitals, in Lahore, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that they would approach Pakistan’s Foreign Office to raise the matter with India diplomatically. Chief minister Maryam Nawaz echoed this, calling for 'climate diplomacy' with her counterparts across the border to address the shared environmental crisis.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India expressed frustration with the country’s environment laws, recently amended in a way that some argue weakened enforcement. The bench highlighted the urgency of creating stricter controls to prevent pollution spikes and urged both central and state governments to take decisive steps.
The Supreme Court will reconvene on November 14, with plans to monitor the situation closely, particularly around the enforcement of firecracker bans and stubble-burning restrictions. However, for both Delhi and Lahore, the path to cleaner air remains complicated by political tensions, rising population density, and limited green spaces.
