NASA releases shocking picture of Smoke from Lahore to Delhi, poison dissolving in lungs

At the same time, air pollution touched record levels this month in Lahore, located in Pakistan's Punjab province near the Indian border. Lahore has a population of about 14 million i.e. 1 crore 40 lakh people and there are many factories here, due to which it is counted among the most polluted cities in the world. Last week, Lahore's AQI was reported to be 1165 in the ranking released by Swiss group IQAir.

It is well to note that an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 50 or less is considered good with a low risk of pollution. Orders have also been issued to close schools in Pakistan owing to dangerous levels of pollution. Some 350 kilometers away, in another city of millions-Multan-the AQI level crossed 2,000 last week, news agency AFP reported.

Entry to parks, zoos, playgrounds, ancient monuments, museums, and recreational areas has also been banned as a precaution. The tuk-tuks fitted with pollutant two-stroke engines have also been banned. The restaurants serving barbecues without filters have also been banned. In the war room in Pakistan's Punjab province, staff of eight departments manned work towards keeping a check on the burning of farm waste and managing traffic.