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Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared smog a calamity. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil mentioned on Monday that 11 million children under five are endangered due to smog exposure.
As per details, the EPA declared smog a calamity. A smog lockdown has already been imposed in different areas of Lahore. After Lahore, many other main cities of Punjab, like Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and others, also suffer from the worst air pollution.
UNICEF representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil demanded urgent and effective efforts to reduce air pollution. He mentioned over 11 million children under five years old in the affected district of Punjab, were exposed to this smog is dangerous for their health.
UNICEF quoting Fadil, “I am extremely concerned about the well-being of young children who are forced to breathe polluted, toxic air. Over 11 million children under five years of age are exposed to this smog in the worst-affected district. Due to record-breaking levels of air pollution, about 12 percent of deaths in children under five in Pakistan were due to air pollution”.
“Young children are most affected by air pollution because they have smaller lungs and lack the immunities that come with age. The potential impact of air pollutants can be extreme on babies’ developing lungs and brains. Breathing in particulate air pollution can “damage brain tissue and undermine cognitive development — with lifelong implications and setbacks”, he added.
Fadil further said, “When pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely, face respiratory issues, and their babies may have a low birth weight”.
The Punjab government closed schools and colleges in the main cities of Punjab till November 17, 2024. Public places, parks, zoos, museums, and playgrounds are closed in seven cities of Punjab due to the Air Quality Index being above 400 in Sialkot, Multan, Mangla, Pindi Bhattain, Rahim Yar Khan, Rohjan, and Lahore.
BBC news report stated, ‘the air pollution in Punjab is so severe it is now visible from space’.
It is worth mentioning here that Fadil demanded to take all possible steps to make the air clean by calling the government to ensure every child’s “right to clean air”. He asked the government to ensure a reduction in emissions from agricultural and industrial activities by encouraging clean and sustainable energy.
