Despite thick smog choking Lahore and Multan, the Punjab Environmental Protection Department has announced that it has decided to reopen educational institutions in the cities from today (Wednesday).

In a notification issued today, the department said that educational institutions in the two worst-smog-affected cities will open from November 19 (Wednesday) at 9 am.

However, all teachers, staff and students are required to wear masks due to smoggy weather, the notification added.

He said outdoor sports and other extracurricular activities would remain banned. In addition, classes will have different times to leave school so that there is no circulation of students.

“Each school management will be responsible for implementing the precautionary measures,” the notification issued said.

Earlier, the provincial authorities had closed schools in its main cities on November 6 and on Friday extended the closure till November 24 in Multan and Lahore.

All outdoor sports in schools and other activities also remain banned in the province until January, with continued crackdowns on rickshaws, barbecues and polluting construction sites in hotspots of the province. pollution.

Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, has been reeling from toxic smog for weeks as temperatures drop with the onset of winter.

Lahore’s air quality today fell below the threshold considered “dangerous” for humans for a short while before returning to the worst category.

As of 9:30 a.m., the provincial capital was ranked the second most polluted city in terms of air quality in the Swiss group’s live ranking, with an air quality index of 395.