Crisis Of Severe Smog: Health Emergency Declared

Over the past couple of days, air pollution has been rising insanely in the South Asian region. Due to this, several countries, like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc., are facing critical conditions. Countries like Pakistan and India have declared air pollution a health emergency and have decided to close schools and colleges or shift them online. 

Several factors, including industrial emissions, the burning of agricultural waste, and cremation practices, cause poor air quality. Burning solid oil during cold months to cook food also contributes to the poor AQI (Air Quality Index). 

High air pollution has severely affected the health of the general public, triggering respiratory diseases across South Asian countries. In Pakistan alone, hospitals have witnessed over 2 million new cases of respiratory disease, heart issues, etc. The rest of the countries are also seeing a surge in respiratory disease cases. 

In some countries, AQI crossed the 2000 mark twice, setting a new record for air pollution. Now, governments are summoning meetings to take safety measures, such as applying vehicle restrictions and using cloud seeding to create artificial rain and curb smog. Governments across the countries have also advised residents to avoid going outdoors, do physical activities, and use masks when going out.