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Snapshot 6:Mon, Nov 18, 2024 5:36:06 PM GMT last edited by Nick

India: New Delhi Chokes as Pollution Hits 50 Times WHO Limit

India: New Delhi Chokes as Pollution Hits 50 Times WHO Limit

India: New Delhi Chokes as Pollution Hits 50 Times WHO Limit
Above: A cyclist with his face covered in cloth rides along a street on a cold smoggy morning in New Delhi on Nov. 18, 2024. Image copyright: MONEY SHARMA/Contributor/AFP via Getty images

The Spin

This annual catastrophe underscores the failure of both state and central governments. While political blame games rage on, government inaction has left the majority of sanctioned bio-compressed gas plants non-functional. Short-term measures like vehicle rationing offer scant relief. Sustainable solutions, such as processing farm waste, are essential. However, a broader inability to prioritize long-term action over rhetoric and political expediency mars progress.

TheBlaming farmers for Delhi's smog crisisis underscores the failure of both statesimplistic and centralunfair. governmentsStudies toshow tacklestubble thisburning annualcontributes catastrophe.only Whilea politicalfraction blameof gamesthe ragecity's onpollution, governmentwhile inactionvehicular hasemissions, leftmainly thefrom majority of sanctioned biogas-compressedguzzling gasSUVs, plantsconstruction non-functional.dust, Short-termand measuresindustrial likewaste vehicleare rationingfar offergreater scant reliefculprits. Sustainable solutionsYet, suchpunitive asmeasures processingdisproportionately farmtarget wastefarmers, areignoring essential.their However,lack aof broaderviable inabilityalternatives toand prioritizethe long-termsystemic actionfailures overto rhetoricaddress andtheir political expediency mars progressconcerns.

Blaming farmers for Delhi's persistent smog crisis is botha simplisticglaring andindictment unfair.of Studiessystemic showgovernmental stubbleapathy. burningInstead contributesof onlyaddressing aroot fractionissues of theincluding city'sfragmented pollution,governance whileand vehicularinadequate emissions,year-round mainlypollution fromcontrols gas-guzzling SUVs,politicians constructiondeflect dustblame, andprioritizing industrialagendas wasteover arepublic farhealth. greaterUnlike culprits.Beijing's Yet,coordinated punitiveand measuressustained disproportionatelyaction targetagainst farmerspollution, ignoringDelhi's theirresponse lackremains ofmired viablein alternativesinaction and thepolitical systemicinfighting, failuresleaving millions to addresssuffer theiravoidable concernsharm.

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 50% chance that an anthropogenic disaster will happen in China before one happens in India, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.17.0