PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE CHILDREN

On Saturday, the concentration of deadly pollutants PM2.5 – the fine particles in the air that cause the most harm to health – was more than 40 times higher than the level considered acceptable by the WHO. PM2.5 levels on Sunday morning rose above this figure before decreasing slightly.

Last week, the provincial environmental protection agency announced new restrictions in four “hot spots” in the city.

Tuk-tuks equipped with polluting two-stroke engines are banned, as are restaurants that barbecue without filters.

Government offices and private companies will see half of their staff working from home starting Monday.

Children are particularly vulnerable because they have less developed lungs and breathe more quickly, taking in more air relative to their size than adults.

Last month, authorities banned schoolchildren from outdoor exercise until January and changed school schedules to prevent children from traveling when pollution is most severe.

Pollution exceeding levels deemed safe by the WHO reduces the life expectancy of residents of Lahore by 7.5 years on average, according to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.

According to UNICEF, nearly 600 million children in South Asia are exposed to high levels of air pollution and half of deaths from childhood pneumonia are associated with air pollution.