Pakistan air pollution: UN warns threat to 11 Million Punjab Kids as AQI surpasses 800
PTC News Desk: In the wake of deteriorating air quality in Pakistan, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has also flagged health concerns pose on 11 million children in Pakistan's Punjab. Since last month, a thick layer of toxic smog has engulfed Lahore and 17 other districts in Punjab .
UNICEF's representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil has urged the government to take necessary measures to itigate pollution as threat looms large 11 million children under the age of 5 and others. “Prior to these record-breaking levels of air pollution, about 12 per cent of deaths in children under 5 in Pakistan were due to air pollution. The impact of this year's extraordinary smog will take time to assess, but we know that doubling and tripling the amount of pollution in the air will have devastating effects, particularly on children and pregnant women,” Abdullah Fadil said in the statement.
According to the health officials, more than 40,000 people have complained of respiratory issues and sought treatment for the same. The districts of Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala are facing serious concerns over respiratory issues having eye and throat irritation, and pink eye disease. Punjab has blamed India for the worsening air quality and has said that t will take the issue up with the neighbouring country through its foreign ministry.
Though the government has ordered the mandatory wearing of face masks, that has been widely disregarded. The government has also said it was looking into methods to induce artificial rainfall to combat the pollution.
- With inputs from agencies
