Air pollution level reaches alarming levels in city.

LAHORE -- Air pollution in the city has reached to alarming levels, according to environmentalists.

Environmental Protection Department Director Misbah-ul-Haq Lodhi said the Air Quality Index (AQI) is based on concentrations of five air pollutants including ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter.

He said that AQI valueS lower than 50 were considered good and when they exceed 100, they are considered to be unhealthy and big concerns come around 150-200.

Anything crossing the reading at 300 was deemed hazardous, he added.

To a question, Lodhi said that Lahore, Pakistan's second-largest city was choking due to smog. He said that the sources of smog in the city mainly included brick-kilns smoke, steel mills, burning of crop residues and garbage, growing numbers of vehicles on the road and large-scale cutting of trees due to developmental projects.

Noted physian Dr Tehseen Riaz said that most of the patients in the city of 11 million population were complaining of headach, burning eyes and sour throats.

According to Global Air...