Pall of toxic air hangs over Karachi
KARACHI: Seeing all these people, including small children, wearing masks to protect themselves from pollution as they commute or run errands in the city as if it is the most normal thing to do one is reminded of those dystopian science fiction movies where they show the Earth becoming so polluted that people have stopped going out at all. If they do they have to carry oxygen cylinders with them because the air is simply unbreathable.
‘Fog’ is a word used not as much as ‘smog’ these days. Yes, we are surrounded by a tornado of toxic air comprising smoke and dust, not to mention stench, forcing us to cover our noses and mouth with these masks which are also easily available now with every other roadside vendor, and not just with the chemists. Burning garbage, carbon emissions and so much dust in the air can really destroy our health.