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:
https://twitter.com/muhammadamir_30/status/1192329576564887552?s=19
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
— db. (@thelahorewala) November 6, 2019
It’s only been getting worse with every passing day:
https://twitter.com/mhnrnsr/status/1192119112325042176?s=19
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
— db. (@thelahorewala) November 6, 2019
Citizens were desperate for help:
https://twitter.com/emo_ontheinside/status/1192136473186844675?s=19
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:
https://twitter.com/mubshra24/status/1192111664923062272?s=19
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— طلحہ عابدی (@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 T (@mariamtee) November 6, 2019
No one should go through this:
https://twitter.com/timesofpak123/status/1192354955375415296?s=19
Netizens took in their own hands to create awareness and help others:
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192331960590520320?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332498337964032?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332500741304320?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332507208921088?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332510149128192?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332517417897984?s=19
https://twitter.com/ChupShaa/status/1192332571058823168?s=19
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
— SUMEIRA ASHRAF (@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
— 𝑀 𝒲𝒶𝓁𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝒴☯𝓊𝓃𝒶𝓈 (@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:
https://twitter.com/smzrz/status/1192158782455009280?s=19
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:
https://twitter.com/Azehka/status/1192299458219917313?s=19
Even the rain didn’t do much for the smog ridden city:
https://twitter.com/mariyamwaqarr/status/1192327396676030464?s=19
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!