Severe Smog Crisis Triggers Emergency Measures in India and Pakistan

Emergency measures have been enacted in New Delhi and Punjab as toxic smog envelops the regions, highlighting the ongoing air quality crisis affecting millions.

Heavy smog has cast a pall over New Delhi, India’s bustling capital, prompting authorities to declare a medical emergency on Sunday. Schools have been closed and residents advised to stay indoors as air pollution levels skyrocketed, coinciding with a similar longstanding crisis in neighboring Pakistan.

The severity of the air quality crisis was underscored by reports from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company, which indicated that New Delhi had the highest pollution levels globally on Monday, with readings exceeding 1,600 on their index. To put this into context, any reading above 301 is considered hazardous, with potential adverse effects on respiratory health.

Delhi's Chief Minister Atishi Marlena described the situation as a health crisis, noting that many cities in northern India were struggling with alarming pollution levels. The impact was echoed in nearby Pakistan, where authorities in Punjab, the country's most populous province, implemented various restrictions, including bans on outdoor activities, school closures, and orders for employees to work from home.

The tradition of burning agricultural residue post-harvest has made late fall a particularly challenging time for air quality in both countries, but this year has seen unprecedented levels of pollution recorded. Recent weeks have seen Punjab experience air quality levels over 1,000, necessitating a health emergency declaration as the number of patients suffering respiratory ailments surged.

In response to the worsening air quality, Delhi previously announced a temporary shift to online learning for primary students and suspended specific construction projects that contribute to air pollution. As conditions deteriorated further, measures were expanded to include some secondary school classes transitioning online and restrictions on diesel trucks entering the city.

While farmers' practice of burning rice stubble has been largely blamed for the air crisis, both Indian and Pakistani sources have pointed fingers at one another, suggesting cross-border agricultural practices contribute to the problem. Seasonal factors, like decreasing temperatures, have also been cited for exacerbating the smog, as cooler air traps pollutants closer to the ground instead of allowing them to dissipate.

The situation continues to evolve as more measures are being considered, with the authorities working to protect public health amid the ongoing environmental crisis.