Pakistan: Hotels, factories responsible for pollution in Faisalabad

Deputy Director Environment, Farhat Abbas Kamoka on Saturday said that departmental teams conducted surprise checking in the district and found these halls (hotels) and factories polluting the environment, Daily Times reported. 

He further said, "Therefore, notices have been issued to the owners and their cases would be forwarded to the tribunal for further action" , as quoted by Daily Times.

Earlier in November 2021, Pakistan's Lahore was declared the most polluted city globally with Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing over 700. Last month, Karachi became the World's third most polluted city with an AQI of 224 according to Dhaka Tribune. 

AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality and is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. 

According to multiple studies, breathing polluted air increases a person's risk of acquiring heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders, lung infections, and cancer. 

Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people year, owing to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections, according to World Health Organization (WHO)