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EYE ON INDIA NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | The Indian Eye 8

Can Delhi break its annual cycle

of toxic air and winter pollution?

With the national capital’s AQI touching 482, experts warn that seasonal firefighting

cannot solve a public-health emergency driven by multiple sources of emissions, weak

enforcement and the absence of a sustained regional clean-air strategy.

OUR BUREAU ma and chronic obstructive pulmo-
nary disease.
New Delhi
The long-term consequences are
very winter, Delhi finds itself particularly worrying for children.
trapped in a familiar cycle. A “It decreases your lifespan and leads
Ethick blanket of smog descends to stunted lung growth in children,
on the national capital, air pollution with studies showing that children’s
reaches hazardous levels, hospitals lung functions get impaired if they
report an increase in patients with re- are exposed to such high levels of
spiratory problems, and governments poor-quality air,” he said.
announce emergency measures. As A new joint FICCI-EY knowl-
winter approaches, the cycle begins edge paper, titled ‘Clean Air, Healthy
again, raising a fundamental ques- India’, argues that India needs to
tion: can Delhi ever break free from move away from seasonal interven-
its annual pollution crisis? tions towards a sustained, health-led
The latest readings suggest that pollution-control strategy. Released
little has changed. Delhi’s overall on Thursday, the report estimates
Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at that air pollution was attributable
482 at 8.01 am on Thursday, placing to more than two million deaths in
the city in the hazardous category. India in 2023. It recommends incor-
Seven monitoring stations recorded An ice cream vendor passes by, with India Gate visible in the hazy, porating explicit PM2.5 reduction
AQI levels above 400, with Punjabi smog-filled background, as the capital continues to grapple with poor air quality, in New Delhi targets into the National Clean Air
Bagh registering the highest at 446, Programme (NCAP), moving be-
followed by Narela at 434 and Rohini on Thursday (ANI Photo/Shagun Chauhan) yond an excessive reliance on PM10
at 431. measurements.
Several other areas, including have already stated that around 40 Medanta, Gurugram, described air It proposes ten practical in-
RK Puram, Bawana, North Campus per cent of the paddy stubble has pollution as a silent killer because terventions, including better dust
and Patparganj, also reported severe been utilised through ex-situ man- of its cumulative impact on human management at construction sites,
pollution. The deterioration came agement this time.” health. intelligent traffic signals, continu-
despite government claims that stub- On why pollution levels re- “Air pollution is a silent killer; it ous industrial emissions monitoring,
ble-burning incidents in neighbour- mained severe despite these mea- kills by worsening underlying diseas- cleaner alternatives to diesel genera-
ing states had declined and that a sures, he said, “CAQM is contin- es and other health problems,” he tors, improved brick-kiln technology
substantial proportion of paddy res- uously monitoring meteorological said, warning that severe AQI levels and converting agricultural residue
idue had been put to alternative use. conditions, including wind direction, posed particular risks to people with into commercially useful products.
The situation exposes the lim- wind speed and the movement of air. chronic respiratory and heart condi- “Clean air must be central to India’s
itations of an approach that tends Based on these assessments, the nec- tions, children and the elderly. Hos- healthcare agenda, not treated solely
to focus on controlling individual essary steps are being taken.” pitals routinely witness an increase as an environmental objective,” said
pollution sources during the winter However, the persistence of in emergency cases during periods of Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Chair
months rather than addressing the hazardous air despite a decline in extreme pollution. of the FICCI Health Services Com-
structural causes of deteriorating air reported farm fires points to a larg- “Every year, when the AQI hits mittee and MD and CEO of Fortis
quality throughout the year. er problem. Delhi’s pollution is not the severe range, we see an increase Healthcare.
Union Environment Minister caused by one activity or confined in the number of patients coming to “India’s clean-air agenda
Bhupender Yadav said the Commis- to one season. Vehicular emissions, the emergency with breathing diffi- should link pollution control to pub-
sion for Air Quality Management construction dust, industrial pollu- culties and coughs, many of whom lic-health outcomes. NCAP should
(CAQM) was monitoring weather tion, waste burning and diesel gen- have to be admitted to the ward or include explicit PM2.5 reduction
conditions, including wind direction, erators contribute to the problem, ICU,” he said. targets, supported by reliable mon-
speed and atmospheric movement, while unfavourable winter weather Even healthy people are not im- itoring, coordinated regional action
to determine the necessary interven- traps pollutants close to the ground. mune. Guleria said exposure could and investment in affordable cleaner
tions. Dr Randeep Guleria, Chairman cause chest tightness, breathlessness, alternatives,” said Amit Goyal, Part-
Asked about the reduction in of the Institute of Internal Medicine, coughing and watering eyes, while ner, Strategy and Transactions, EY
stubble burning, Yadav said, “Yes, I Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at aggravating conditions such as asth- India.

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