Toxic air is back in Delhi mainly due to a combination of factors, making it difficult to stop. Key reasons include vehicle emissions from the city's millions of vehicles, burning of agricultural stubble in neighboring states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, construction dust, industrial emissions, and fireworks during festivals like Diwali. Winter weather conditions, such as low temperatures and calm winds, trap these pollutants close to the ground, worsening the air quality. Despite government efforts, enforcement gaps, political blame-shifting, and repeated annual recurrence contribute to the persistent air pollution crisis in Delhi
After this year's Diwali, the pollution spiked sharply due to firework smoke, despite court rulings mandating "green" crackers and limits on fireworks. Reports also conflict on the extent and timing of stubble burning this season, which remains a significant contributor. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached hazardous levels repeatedly during this period, with several localities seeing severe air quality, posing serious health risks especially to vulnerable populations.
In summary, the recurring toxic air in Delhi is hard to stop because it results from multiple overlapping sources compounded by seasonal weather that traps pollutants. Political and regulatory challenges also impede effective long-term solutions to this annual crisis.
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