This isn’t a matter of blame-shifting between one election and the next. It’s about coordinated state action. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana does contribute to Delhi’s pollution, particularly in the months of October and November, but it isn’t the whole story.
I keep thinking about how other cities have responded when smog became intolerable. When Beijing faced its infamous smog crisis in the 2010s, the Chinese government declared red alerts, shut down factories, converted coal plants to gas, restricted vehicle licenses, and coordinated policy implementation across provinces.
Over a span of a decade, they cut PM2.5 levels by more than 50 percent, from nearly 90 µg/m³ in 2013 to around 30 µg/m³ today. It wasn’t easy, but it showed what political will and regional coordination can achieve.
Similarly, Paris took a bold urban approach. The city banned older vehicles, created low-emission zones, expanded cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and even made public transport free during high-pollution days.
In the last decade, Paris cut nitrogen dioxide levels by about 45 percent and fine particulate levels by 35 percent. Even though their air still doesn’t meet WHO standards fully, they’ve demonstrated consistent progress through sustained, city-wide measures.
