Punjab Announces Four Holidays Due to Toxic Smog Levels

The government of Punjab has announced a four holidays in province’s smog-hit areas, caretaker provincial chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Tuesday.

During a press conference, the interim provincial chief minister said that four days of holidays will be observed in Punjab’s smog-hit areas, including Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, and Hafizabad.

Furthermore, the provincial government is also implementing a health emergency in the province.

Moreover, the four holidays in Punjab will be observed from 9 November 2023 to 12 November 2023 (Thursday till Sunday) and hopefully help to curb the smog in the province.

It is pertinent to mention that November 9 is already a public holiday throughout the province on the occasion of Allama Iqbal Day.

Read more: Govt Announces Public Holiday on 9 November 2023.

The provincial government had already discussed announcing a weekly holiday on Wednesdays in order to curb the effects of smog across the province. However, the authorities decided against the decision, saying that they would continue to monitor the situation.

However, the smog situation has significantly worsened in the province, especially in Lahore.

According to IQAir, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lahore stands at 390 at the moment of writing this post. However, it bears mentioning that Lahore reached a high of 514 AQI a few days with hundreds of citizens falling sick to the toxic smog.

To make things clear, an AQI of 101 to 150 is considered unhealthy for certain people with underlying health conditions, while 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy for everyone, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and 301 to 500 is considered hazardous.

Read more: Lahore Smog Worsens With AQI Touching 514.

“A national holiday will be observed on November 9, and on November 10 we will shut schools and offices in Punjab,” the interim chief minister told reporters during a press conference in Lahore.

Naqvi said that schools are already closed on Saturdays and Sunday, but if a school open, the management of the educational institution will be asked to keep it shut until Monday due to the toxic smog level.

Markets to Remain Closed on Saturday

Furthermore, the caretaker chief minister said that markets will remain closed on Saturday, and if traders find it feasible, they can close shops on Friday as well. Furthermore, he appealed to the public to stay indoors for four days.

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