Karachi has risen to become the world’s fourth-most polluted city, with an air quality index (AQI) of 193.
According to a study published by Pakistan Press International (PPI), the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration in Karachi this month was 32.9 μg/m³, which is higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual air quality threshold of 26 μg/m³.
According to the WHO, PM2.5 can enter the body through the lungs and enter the bloodstream, affecting all major organs. PM2.5 exposure can lead to diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
According to the study, air pollution in the city contains solid and liquid particles as well as certain gases that are hazardous to human health.
According to the report, transportation and industrial emissions are the most significant polluters, followed by garbage burning, emissions from refrigerators and generators, dust flying, and stoves used in homes and hotels.
According to the report, all types of forests, including mangroves along Sindh’s coastline, which used to help absorb carbon dioxide and clean the air in Karachi, have declined to an alarming level.
“Karachi’s present mangroves forest cover is 50,000 hectares. In the last 50 years, Karachi has lost 10,000 hectares of mangrove forest due to encroachments, commercialization, and infrastructure development,” the study noted.
According to the study, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency stated that seawater encroachment and deforestation have caused severe damage to Sindh’s ecosystems.
“There has been mass depletion of mangrove forests in the area due to illegal logging, irrigation, and untreated industrial waste,” it said.
According to the study, forest cover accounts for only 8% of Sindh’s total land area of 34.84 million acres, which is three times lower than the international standard of 25%.
According to the annual survey of Pakistan released in June 2021, only 5.01 percent of the country is covered by forest cover.
In response to the report, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Secretary-General Qaisar Sajjad stated that Karachi had been identified as the world’s fourth-most polluting city.
“Air pollution is a slow poison and can even take life in severe conditions,” he said, observing that air pollution contributes to asthma, nose elegy, sore throat, and heart diseases.
The PMA official emphasized the importance of regulating transportation and industrial systems, as well as phasing out all smoke-emitting and dilapidated vehicles that contribute to air pollution.
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