THIS is with reference to the report “Lahore’s AQI touches unprecedented level” (Nov 3). The level of pollution the people of Lahore are currently exper-iencing is seriously alarming. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached dange-rously high levels, forcing the closure of schools and putting the health of countless individuals, particularly children and the elderly, at severe risk.

The recurring crisis highlights the glaring inadequacy of successive gover-nments’ response, which appears to rely on short-term, knee-jerk reactions rather than on a comprehensive and sustained approach to combat pollution.

As we witness every year, these quick-fix measures are implemented only after pollution levels have escalated to haza-rdous levels, showing a reactive rather than a preventive approach.

There has to be a year-round, well-defined policy to control and reduce pollution. Such a policy should include long-term initiatives, like strict regulations on vehicular and industrial emissions, increasing green spaces, incentivising renewable energy adoption, and promoting public awareness on eco-friendly practices.

Additionally, enforcing the ban on crop burning, improving waste management, and making public transport more efficient and accessible can contribute significantly to reducing pollutants in the air.

Only with a comprehensive, year-long commitment to cleaner air can we hope to prevent this environmental and public health crisis from recurring. The policy-makers should take the matter seriously and prioritise sustainable, impactful solutions for cleaner, breathable air for all.

Zarene Rashid Malik
Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2024