Indian capital's 'hazardous' air pollution season starts

India's capital, New Delhi, was engulfed in thick, acrid clouds of pollution on Wednesday as air quality levels reached "hazardous" for the first time this winter. The severe pollution, driven by the combined effects of fireworks and large-scale farm stubble burning, has created a toxic smog that experts warn could result in thousands of premature deaths each year. Despite the grave health risks, commuters heading to work braved the poisonous air, with few choosing to wear masks for protection.

Each year, New Delhi faces an alarming spike in air pollution, with much of it attributed to the burning of agricultural stubble by farmers in neighboring states who are preparing their fields for the next planting season. The problem is expected to worsen significantly during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which falls on November 1 this year. Firework displays, a traditional part of the celebrations, further contribute to the city's already hazardous air quality by releasing toxic smoke.

Monitors recorded the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — tiny, cancer-causing particles that penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream — at levels more than 68 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended safe limit. On Wednesday, the level of these pollutants reached 344 micrograms per cubic meter, according to data from IQAir, making New Delhi the most polluted city in the world at that time.

In an attempt to address the severe pollution, authorities in New Delhi implemented a complete ban on both the manufacture and sale of firecrackers this year, citing the urgent need to combat the city's high pollution levels. However, similar restrictions have been routinely ignored in the past, with enforcement proving difficult due to the deep religious significance attached to fireworks during Diwali celebrations.

Efforts to curb stubble burning have also been met with resistance. While police in Haryana state arrested several farmers this week for setting fires before tilling their land, widespread enforcement remains a challenge. The combined effect of stubble burning, fireworks, and general urban pollution continues to be a major health crisis in India. According to a study published in the Lancet medical journal, air pollution was responsible for 1.67 million premature deaths in India in 2019, highlighting the urgency of the country's ongoing struggle with hazardous air quality.