As heavy and hazardous smog engulfs Lahore for over weeks now, the citizens are really concerned. According to recent stats, the air quality in Lahore has been between 700-800 which is the worst the city has ever seen.
People have also been noticing a pungent smell all over the city and complaining of itchy throat, shortness of breath and burning eyes. The hashtags #LahoreSmog and #SmogApocalypse have been trending for a while now and yet there’s radio silence from the ministers in charge. Frustrated, the netizens have been taking it to twitter to do whatever they can to help each other:
Pakistan is Probably The first Country where
Judges want Justice
Doctors want Security & Respect
And people want Oxygen #SmogWaliTabdeeli
— Atif Rauf (@Atifrauf79) November 7, 2019
People are finally realising the importance of carbon footprints that they’ve been leaving:
Air pollution can have severely damaging effects on human health & has been linked with respiratory problems,cancer & heart disease. Millions of vehicles leaving its own carbon footprint on the environment. This is why hybrid & fully electric vehicles are best😍#SmogWaliTabdeeli pic.twitter.com/CnfzlxE4IS
— مسلم لیگ ن کا شیر xッAmiR (@muhammadamir_30) November 7, 2019
People were worried about the less privileged coping up:
To put this smog crisis in context:
If I, as an able-bodied & well-fed young adult sitting in one of Lhr's safest areas, is struggling to cope with Lahore's air, just imagine what the city's poor, old, children, patients and homeless are going through rn.It's a crime.
— Hamza (@wingsforus) November 6, 2019
There’s no stopping it. Thoughts with everyone who does not have the safety of masks and air-purifiers. I’m worried about so many people, there’s a strange dread and anxiety. #LahoreSmog#SaansLenayDo pic.twitter.com/oB09uzUF8D
— Dawar Butt (@thelahorewala) November 6, 2019
It’s only been getting worse with every passing day:
it’s gotten worse. feeling like collateral damage with approx. 11.13M others #LahoreSmog
— mhnr (@mhnrnsr) November 6, 2019
People were cresting awareness of what smog does to the lungs:
This is what PM2.5 pollution does to the Human Lungs. This is why breathing in pollution is equated to smoking cigarettes. This is how we lose (up to 5 years) of our Lives.#LahoreSmog #SaansLenayDo
via @icareforlungs pic.twitter.com/7Kb8scsU45
— Dawar Butt (@thelahorewala) November 6, 2019
Citizens were desperate for help:
WHY IS NO GOVERNMENT/PRIVATE ORGANIZATION RUNNING A MASS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE SHIT AIR WE ARE BREATHING. WE ARE DYING AND MORE THAN HALF THE POPULATION DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TOXIC THE AIR IS . CAN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLEASE!?#LahoreSmog #saanslenaydo
— mahnoor (@emo_ontheinside) November 6, 2019
Lahore had one of the deadliest nights last night:
LAHORE EMERGENCY ALERT!
Lahore's #Air Quality has just exceeded WHO limits by 20x times!
Normal is 0-35, we are at 700+!Tonight will be the deadliest night for patients, young children, and the elderly.
Stay safe Lahore.#LahoreSmog #smog pic.twitter.com/DVUe0TTl0x
— Dr Masood Makhdoom 🇵🇰 (@MakhdoomMasood) November 6, 2019
Many complained of the city smelling like it was burning:
lahore air smells like smouldering wood right now. #LahoreSmog
— Mubshrã (@mubshra24) November 6, 2019
I am in DHA Lahore right now and the smog is making it difficult for me to breath. Even the smell in the air is like that of something burning. Is it similar elsewhere in the city?
Also, any idea where to buy the masks that filter such air?#LahoreSmog #smog— Syed Talha سيد طلحة (@DrSyedTalhaShah) November 6, 2019
People had questions:
Why is there no response towards Lahore smog? There should be environmental emergency in the current situation. #Lahoresmog
— Najeeb Afzal (@Najeebafzal) November 6, 2019
People were sharing how it was a whole new level of toxicity when they entered Lahore:
I’ve just reached #Lahore from Islamabad and immediately felt an assault of gross smoke. Eyes burning, lungs feeling heavy, coughing. This feels more severe than our familiar (also gross) smog. What’s going on? #LahoreSmog
— Mariam TS (@mariamtee) November 6, 2019
No one should go through this:
#Lahore has become a gas chamber where people start their day choking through eye-burning smog. Meanwhile, the government is busy blaming India instead of taking precautionary measures. It is trying to hide its incompetence behind the propaganda. #LahoreSmog #SmogWaliTabdeeli pic.twitter.com/JgdyQ67C5A
— timesofpakistan (@timesofpak123) November 7, 2019
Netizens took in their own hands to create awareness and help others:
As received: #smoginlahore #Smog
1: Wear grade N99 masks ALL the time when you're outdoors. Medical masks won't help. You'll find either N95 or N99 masks, difference between them is that N99 can filter 99% micropollutants. Avoid outdoors unless it's absolutely unavoidable.— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
2: Stay hydrated. The more clean water you drink, the more toxins will get dilluted and pass out of your system. Water supplies oxygen to your organs which is otherwise scarce outside.
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
3: AVOID CARDIO! If you exercise a lot or like jogging or WALKING, ensure that you cease the habit for the time being.
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
4: Avoid meat. Eat more vegetables as your body requires more oxygen to break down meat. Vegetables can keep your metabolism light and smooth, requiring less oxygen breakdown.
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
5: Invest in Air Purifiers. Install these devices in your homes. Spend money on them instead of medication afterwards.
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
6: ALWAYS carry inhalers even if you don't suffer from asthma. This could help you any time and also someone else in emergency.
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
7: Visit your doctor immediately if you develop dust allergy as it can be the initial symptoms of respiratory disorders.
Please stay save!
— 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘸𝘢𝘯 (@ChupShaa) November 7, 2019
Many were concerned about the health and safety of pets:
If you have pets keep them indoors with lots of water. If possible keep water bowls and boxes outside too for stray animals to save them from the mess we have created. #smoginlahore #LahoreSmog
— SUMAIRA RAJPUT (@sumaira_rajput) November 7, 2019
And while the situation is deadly serious, there have been memes:
Superman After Flying Through Lahore Air For 10min. #SmogWaliTabdeeli pic.twitter.com/BmqtDMFHkD
— Atif Rauf (@Atifrauf79) November 7, 2019
Everyone in Lahore #LahoreSmog pic.twitter.com/rr9cqH9N7n
— عثمان 🇵🇰 (@usman_ali9525) November 6, 2019
When you are playing pubg in lahore#SmogWaliTabdeeli pic.twitter.com/TxH3x500Dq
— Prince Waleed (@Xhaudharywaleed) November 7, 2019
The future lies in our hands:
My hope is that next election the residents of Lahore will vote for those with plans for fighting #LahoreSmog and the Karachi folks for those with a plan to tackle the solid waste and water crisis! Many of us probably didn’t imagine these issues becoming critical in our lifetime!
— Taimur Malik (@taimur_malik) November 6, 2019
People were also chanting for neighbouring cities facing the same toxic levels of smog:
While Lahore is getting all the attention, please do not forget its neighboring cities like Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Faislabad, etc, which are equally suffering from smog. @DrMuradPTI @UsmanAKBuzdar @GOPunjabPK please close schools in these cities also. #LahoreSmog
— Zain Raza (@smzrz) November 6, 2019
People were urging for immediate action:
Lahore is unbearable right now. The smog is impossible to escape.
We destroyed our water resources. Now our air is hazardous. We have turned elements of life into vehicles of death.
Urgent discussion needed on environmental costs of our developmental models. #SmogApocalypse
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) November 6, 2019
Slow death:
How to kill yourself easily?
Breath Somewhere in Lahore#smoginlahore— 𝐀𝐳𝐞𝐡𝐤𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐡𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝 (@Azehka) November 7, 2019
Even the rain didn’t do much for the smog ridden city:
Even after the rain it says smoke. Stay safe everyone . Keep the windows and doors of your house close. Don't go outside unnecessarily as no masks will be able to filter the air. Don't smoke indoors, drink more water and juices. #LahoreSmog #smoginlahore pic.twitter.com/xkfHpU6YZ8
— Mariyam.🧘🏻♀️ (@mariyamwaqarr) November 7, 2019
It’s high time that a state of emergency is declared in the smog effected cities. What are your thoughts about it? Let us know in the comments below!