Delhi’s Pollution Crisis Hits ‘Severe’ Levels, Forcing School Closures
ForbesOCT 2023
India: New Delhi Shuts Primary Schools as Air Quality Worsens
Above: A layer of smog seen engulfed in the early hours of the morning at Kartavya Path on Nov. 10, 2024 in New Delhi, India. Image copyright: Sanchit Khanna/Contributor/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
New Delhi is a landlocked city. Though most of the air pollution comes from illegal farm fires, which the government has no control over, the authorities have taken decisive action through school closures, construction bans, and strict enforcement of anti-pollution measures to reduce the health risks posed by the severe pollution exacerbated by humidity levels, calm winds, and a drop in temperature.
Narrative B
Current anti-pollution measures are largely ineffective, as Delhi remains the second most polluted city globally after Lahore. The annual recurrence of this crisis shows a fundamental failure in addressing deep-rooted causes like industrial emissions and urban planning. Until a framework to regulate pollution across states with shared weather patterns is established, India will continue to lose millions of lives to air pollution.