NEW DELHI: Dozens of protesters rallied in New Delhi on Sunday to demand government action on toxic air, as a thick haze containing dangerous microparticles shrouded the Indian capital. Parents in the crowd brought their children, who wore masks and waved placards, with one reading: &quot;I miss breathing&quot;. New Delhi with its sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents is regularly ranked among the world&#39;s most polluted capitals. Acrid smog blankets the skyline each winter, when cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, creating a deadly mix of emissions from crop burning, factories and heavy traffic. Levels of PM2.5 -- cancer-causing microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream -- sometimes rise to as much as 60 times the UN&#39;s daily health limits. &quot;Today I am here just as a mother,&quot; said protester Namrata Yadav, who came with her son. &quot;I am here because I don&#39;t want to become a climate refugee.&quot; On Sunday, PM2.5 levels around India Gate, the iconic war memorial where protesters had assembled, were more than 13 times the World Health Organization&rsquo;s recommended daily maximum. &quot;Year after year, it is the same story but there is no solution,&quot; said Tanvi Kusum, a lawyer who said she had come because she was &quot;frustrated&quot;. &quot;We have to build pressure so that the government at least takes up the issue seriously.&quot; Piecemeal government initiatives have failed to make a noticeable impact. These included partial restrictions on fossil fuel-powered transport and water trucks spraying mist to clear particulate matter from the air. &quot;Pollution is cutting our lives,&quot; said a young woman who claimed to be &quot;speaking for Delhi&quot; and refused to share her name. A study in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution. The United Nations children&#39;s agency warns that polluted air puts children at heightened risk of acute respiratory infections. As the sun set into the smog-covered skyline, the crowd of protesters appeared to swell before police bundled several activists into a bus, seizing their placards and banners, arguing they did not have a permission to protest there. One of them, half-torn, read: &quot;I just want to breathe&quot;.&nbsp;

India

Dozens protested in New Delhi demanding urgent government action against deadly air pollution, as smog choked the city. Parents and children joined, decrying toxic air and failed policies while police detained activists for unauthorized demonstrations.

'I miss breathing': Delhi protesters demand action on pollution

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Punjab&rsquo;s worsening air quality has turned into a public health emergency, with Lahore, the provincial capital, consistently ranking among the world&rsquo;s most polluted cities. But what are the main causes? Rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and unregulated transportation growth have pushed fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels to nearly 10 times Pakistan&rsquo;s legal limit, making clean air a rare commodity for its 15 million residents. PM 2.5 is particulate matter, particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or smaller in the air. These are considered the most dangerous airborne pollutants because they are small enough to penetrate the bloodstream and are linked to various diseases, including cardiovascular problems and lung cancer. While PM2.5 is the most serious air quality issue, levels of other air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, also exceed international safety guidelines. &nbsp; Satellite data from the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) show that Lahore&rsquo;s air has remained &ldquo;unhealthy&rdquo; or &ldquo;very unhealthy&rdquo; for much of the past decade, with winter smog now an annual crisis. Sources of pollutionAccording to the Urban Unit&#39;s 2023 Sectoral Emissions Inventory and the World Bank&#39;s 2025 Program Information Document (PID), urban activity is the primary cause of air pollution in Punjab, accounting for around 75% of total emissions, with natural sources accounting for the remaining 25%. The urban proportion of the population has increased from 82% to 100%, during 1998-2017 in Lahore. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/3cde0d83-3789-4d22-9bf7-29ec4b2bda48.png" style="width: 527px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Figure 1: Urban Sprawl in Lahore District ( Sectoral Emissions Inventory of Lahore) According to the data, the leading sources of PM2.5 pollution are: - The combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating: (23% of residential emissions).- Transport (16%): car exhaust and road dust.- Industries and brick kilns (16%): especially cement, steel, and textile production.- Agriculture and livestock (13%): crop residue burning, fertiliser, and manure.- Municipal rubbish burning (7%): involves open dumping and flames. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/835d1259-93de-44e2-a5a3-d547769eab97.png" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Figure 2: Visual mind map&nbsp; Residential and transport emissions in Greater Lahore have increased by 28% and 24%, respectively. Lahore&rsquo;s roads remain congested, with more than 7.4 million registered vehicles, 82% of them two-wheelers. The city operates only 27 kilometres of metro line and about 250 public buses, far short of the 4,000 required by 2026, the Punjab Mass Transit Authority reported. Does bordering with Delhi play a role?Yes, seasonally. Transboundary effects of air pollution are significant. According to the World Bank, 53% of PM2.5 in Punjab comes from within the province, 9% from adjacent provinces, and 13% from across the border. Satellite data from CAMS and Reuters reporting suggest that stubble burning in northwestern India and northern Pakistan produces smoke plumes that worsen winter smog. However, inventories reveal that although cross-border smoke contributes only occasionally, local transportation, industrial, and residential emissions contribute to poor air quality year-round.&nbsp; Regulations, law &amp; enforcementThe Punjab government has implemented many policies, including the 2017 Smog Control Policy, the 2023 Clean Air Policy, and the 2024 Smog Mitigation Action Plan. These address emissions from transportation, agriculture, and industry while encouraging behavioural change and citizen engagement. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/048a1983-c034-4873-a8e4-5fadd3e04446.jpg" style="width: 577px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&nbsp;Source: Punjab Clean Air Program (PCAP) According to the Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD), the province is expanding its air quality monitoring network by installing reference stations and low-cost sensors to ensure real-time transparency. Hundreds of brick kilns have been sealed for noncompliance, and enterprises must install emission-control equipment. At the federal level, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency are implementing Euro fuel requirements, periodic vehicle inspections, and scrappage programs for old diesel fleets. Agricultural burning prohibitions are supported by subsidies for equipment such as the &quot;Happy Seeder,&quot; which allows farmers to avoid stubble burning. On transport, the Punjab government has set up 27 e-buses in Lahore, with 500 more planned for the FY25 Annual Development Plan. The World Bank believes that e-buses might reduce PM2.5 emissions by up to 88% compared to diesel cars. These new measures are a major institutional step forward, indicating a more effective, coordinated strategy for monitoring air quality across the province. According to the World Bank&#39;s 2025 Program Information Document, Punjab has long suffered from &quot;the absence of systematic air quality management capacity,&quot; which these reforms now aim to address. Awareness and social responsibilityTo involve citizens directly in the fight against smog, the EPD developed the Green Punjab App, which allows users to report unlawful burning and file environmental complaints directly with the authorities, while the EcoBot platform provides real-time air quality data and health alerts.&nbsp; The Punjab Disaster Management Authority and EPD have also launched public awareness programs encouraging locals to decrease their usage of solid fuels, report infractions, and promote public transport. The United Nations Development Programme defines empowerment as enabling people to make informed choices that shape their own communities. In Punjab&rsquo;s case, this means equipping citizens with reliable data, accountability mechanisms, and access to clean alternatives. Pakistan&#39;s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that this year&rsquo;s smog should be treated as a &ldquo;public health threat,&rdquo; urging households to adopt indoor air-filtration measures as part of a layered protection strategy. The National Institute of Health has cautioned that hazardous smog spells will continue across eastern Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan. In its 2025 advisory, the NDMA recommended using air purifiers in frequently occupied rooms, sealing windows, avoiding non-essential travel, and wearing N95 or KN95 masks outdoors. The NDMA also suggested a low-cost alternative: natural air-purifying indoor plants, such as snake plants or spider plants, to improve indoor air quality. While not a replacement for HEPA filtration, they provide additional relief for families unable to afford high-end purifiers. The worsening smog has increased public attention on indoor air quality, particularly among parents and individuals with chronic respiratory illnesses. Government advisories continue to emphasize precautionary measures indoors and outdoors while broader, long-term efforts focus on emissions regulation, improved monitoring and seasonal preparedness. Ultimately, the province&#39;s efforts serve as a starting point rather than a solution, highlighting the need for continuous enforcement and regional collaboration to achieve lasting improvements in air quality.

Health

Climate & Environment

Punjab’s smog crisis stems from rapid urbanization, vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and stubble burning. Efforts to improve air quality and public health include clean air policies, citizen reporting apps, and electric transport initiatives.

What’s polluting Punjab’s air?

NEW DELHI: India&#39;s efforts to combat air pollution through cloud seeding in its sprawling capital, New Delhi, appear to have fallen flat, with scientists and activists questioning the effectiveness of the measure. Cloud seeding involves spraying particles such as silver iodide and salt into clouds from aircraft to trigger rain, which can wash pollutants from the air. Delhi authorities, working with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, began trials last week using a Cessna aircraft over parts of the city. But officials said the first trials produced very little rainfall because of thin cloud cover. &quot;This will never ever do the job, it&#39;s an illusion,&quot; said Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmental campaigner in Delhi. &quot;Only when we clean up sources of air pollution can we control it.&quot; The government has spent around $364,000 on the trials, according to local media reports. Each winter, thick smog chokes Delhi and its 30 million residents. Cold air traps emissions from farm fires, factories, and vehicles. Despite various interventions &mdash; such as vehicle restrictions, smog sucking towers, and mist-spraying trucks &mdash; the air quality ranks among the worst for a capital in the world. A day after the latest trial, levels of cancer-causing PM2.5 particles hit 323, more than 20 times the daily limits set by the World Health Organization. It will likely worsen further through the season. A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution. There are also questions about the long-term impact of the chemicals sprayed themselves. While the US Environmental Protection Agency notes &quot;limited&quot; studies suggest silver iodide does not pose an environmental or health risk, it acknowledges the impact of more widespread use is &quot;not known.&quot;<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2>Research processEnvironmental activists say even if cloud seeding produces rain, the benefits are short-lived. Climate scientist Daniele Visioni at Cornell University said it was unclear how efficient it was in heavily polluted conditions. &quot;It can&#39;t create rain where there is no moisture in the air, but it just &#39;forces&#39; some of the water to condense in one location rather than another,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;There is only one thing that can sensibly reduce pollution: avoiding the burning of fossil fuels.&quot; Virendra Sachdeva, from Delhi&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said it was too early to dismiss the cloud seeding experiment as a &quot;scientific failure.&quot; &quot;It is a part of the research process, and success is not always achieved in the first attempt,&quot; he told reporters. However, two atmospheric scientists at IIT Delhi called the cloud seeding plan &quot;another gimmick.&quot; &quot;It is a textbook case of science misapplied and ethics ignored,&quot; Shahzad Gani and Krishna Achutarao wrote in The Hindu newspaper. Mohan George, from the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, said artificial rain was not the answer. &quot;The levels of pollution will come back almost immediately as rain stops,&quot; the scientist told AFP. When it does work, it will increase precipitation in one area &mdash; while potentially decreasing it for another. Costly spectacleCloud seeding, first developed in the 1940s, has been used in various countries to induce rain, clear fog, and reduce drought, but with mixed results. China used it during the 2008 Beijing Olympics in an attempt to control the weather. Gani and Achutarao said Delhi&#39;s pollution causes &mdash; unchecked emissions and seasonal crop burning &mdash; are well known. So too are the solutions &mdash; cleaner fuel, better waste management, and stricter enforcement of rules. &quot;Instead of reinforcing these priorities, parts of the scientific ecosystem &mdash; researchers, advisors, and institutions &mdash; are lending credibility to a costly spectacle that will do little to address the sources of the crisis,&quot; they said.

Climate

Cloud seeding involves spraying particles such as silver iodide and salt into clouds from aircraft to trigger rain, that can wash pollutants from the air.

India's cloud seeding trials 'costly spectacle'

&nbsp;ISLAMABAD: The air quality of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, Delhi, plummeted on the occasion of Diwali on Tuesday. The use of firecrackers with little check usually results in a spike in air pollution every year during Diwali celebrations.&nbsp;This year has been no different. According to the Swiss global air quality monitoring company, IQAir, Delhi&rsquo;s air quality index (AQI) touched 772 after the Diwali celebrations, the highest of any city in the world.&nbsp; AQI values above 300 are considered a public health emergency, when everyone is at risk of experiencing serious health effects, and should avoid all physical activity outdoors. The spike in air pollution also has an impact on other cities in the region, including Lahore in Pakistan, which IQAir listed as the world&#39;s second most polluted city.&nbsp; Sajid Bashir, spokesperson for the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in Pakistan, while speaking to Pakistan TV Digital on Tuesday, said, &ldquo;Winds blowing from New Delhi and other parts of India at a speed of up to 7 kilometers per hour are moving toward Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan.&quot;<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8fZyiTo6qi8" title="Punjab government deploys anti-smog guns across Lahore to combat pollution" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>&quot;Similarly, the southern districts of Multan, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar will also be affected due to pollutants crossing the border in the wake of Diwali festivities that feature fireworks,&rdquo; he added. <figure><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/d315d3ef-453d-42e0-a459-f1d613845701-AQI--.jpg" alt="AQI--.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>Photo: IQAir&#39;s website</figcaption></figure>Diwali, which literally means &ldquo;row of lights,&rdquo; is a Hindu celebration of the triumph of light over darkness.&nbsp; Traditionally, it has been marked by the lighting of earthen lamps and candles.&nbsp; The use of firecrackers has, over the years, become a predominant part of celebrations, raising concerns about contributing to pollution and worsening air quality, according to an Indian media report. The territory that covers the Indian capital, New Delhi, consistently remains among the most polluted cities in the world, especially during the winter season. The smog and air pollution also usually have an impact on cities and towns in neighboring Pakistan. &nbsp; &lsquo;Very poor&rsquo; air qualityThe Diwali celebrations have apparently adversely impacted the air quality in multiple cities, among other likely factors.&nbsp; According to the Indian Central Pollution Control Board&rsquo;s post shared on the social media platform X on Monday, at least 36 cities of India were categorized under &ldquo;poor&rdquo; to &ldquo;very poor&rdquo; air quality. &nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980238542065566131&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=76442ff8a65ece78e2641ab07323ba54ea4f092d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Noise and air pollution&nbsp;Another recent Indian media report highlighted the toll it takes on pets and the trauma they face because of the constant loud noise of the crackers.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 920px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980209285629157625&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=76442ff8a65ece78e2641ab07323ba54ea4f092d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The use of firecrackers, which are a cause of noise and air pollution, became part of urban celebrations only after the independence of India and became an integral part of Diwali by the 1980s, according to Indian media. A ban on firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR area was first imposed in 2014-15 by the Indian Supreme Court. However, &ldquo;enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance have always prevailed,&rdquo; the Indian media admits. -- With additional input from our correspondent in Lahore.

Diwali has been traditionally celebrated by lighting lamps and candles; the use of firecrackers contributes to air pollution every year; Indian media reports cites enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance with regulations as a contributing factor. 

Articles tagged with "Air pollution"

'I miss breathing': Delhi protesters demand action on pollution

What’s polluting Punjab’s air?

India's cloud seeding trials 'costly spectacle'

Indian capital Delhi’s air quality nosedives post Diwali celebrations