The Toxic Shroud

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Cities in India and Pakistan saw unprecedented levels of thick, toxic smog this week, leading officials to close schools, keep workers home and request residents wear masks, CNN reported.

The Air Quality Index has surpassed 1,000 in Lahore, Pakistan and reached the 500 mark in Delhi, India. Anything above 301 on the index is considered hazardous and causes serious health effects such as heart and lung conditions and eye and throat irritation.

“This is a critical situation,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in Punjab, adding that the smog could linger for another 10 days.

Thousands of people have been admitted to hospitals because of respiratory issues in the past week in Punjab, many of them children.

The pollution in the region has been so pronounced that it can be seen from space. Earlier this week, NASA satellite images showed a blanket of smog engulfing parts of northern India and neighboring Pakistan.

Most years, crop burning in northern India and Pakistan contributes to poor air quality in October and November, along with other human activities such as vehicle emissions, industry, and cooking fires.

Responding to the crisis, authorities in Pakistan also banned the use of outdoor grills that use wood or coal, impounded vehicles, and ordered motorized rickshaws off the roads. In Lahore, the authorities have ordered half of all workers to stay home.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government enacted its Graded Response Action Plan that bans all activities that involve the use of coal, diesel generators, and firewood. They urged residents to stay indoors and use public transport to reduce vehicle emissions, reported BBC News.

Still, 81 percent of families reported at least one member suffering from health issues due to pollution in the last week, according to a survey on an online community platform.

Analysts have attributed the rising pollution levels to rapid industrialization and weak enforcement of environmental laws, and argued that the governments must find long-term solutions.