Delhi’s pollution crisis has escalated due to a mix of local and regional factors, including industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, construction dust, and seasonal agricultural burning from neighboring states. Weather patterns, particularly stagnant air over the region, have exacerbated the effects, trapping pollutants close to the ground. Authorities have recorded air quality index (AQI) levels consistently breaching the “severe” category, with recent data from the Central Pollution Control Board highlighting PM2.5 levels up to ten times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended safe threshold.
Health experts are raising alarms as residents report heightened respiratory issues, eye irritation, and other pollution-related health complications. Medical professionals advise individuals to avoid outdoor activities, especially the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions. Delhi’s air pollution is a well-documented annual crisis, with adverse impacts on public health becoming increasingly severe each winter season. As a result, hospitals in the capital are witnessing a significant increase in patients suffering from respiratory ailments, prompting the Health Ministry to prepare emergency response plans to address the potential surge in respiratory and cardiac cases.
In a bid to tackle the crisis, the Delhi government has deployed thousands of anti-smog guns and mist sprinklers to reduce dust levels. The administration has also intensified road sprinkling operations and ordered factories producing high emissions to curtail their activities. Despite these efforts, pollution levels remain high, forcing officials to consider extending restrictions if air quality fails to improve. Authorities are also mulling long-term measures, including expanded air-purifying infrastructure and stricter enforcement of emission standards for vehicles and industries in the national capital region.
Meanwhile, in an effort to hold neighboring states accountable, Delhi’s Environment Ministry has urged Punjab and Haryana to adopt sustainable alternatives to crop stubble burning, a significant contributor to air pollution in northern India. Both states have rolled out some measures to limit stubble burning, but challenges persist due to the cost and accessibility of alternatives, such as bio-decomposers. Environmental organizations have long advocated for government subsidies and incentives for farmers to adopt eco-friendly methods of clearing farmland post-harvest, which could reduce the spike in pollutants that invariably coincides with the onset of winter.