Air pollution has caused widespread distress across North India, including Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, with air quality levels deteriorating to hazardous levels. On Tuesday morning, Delhi woke up to a dense smog, marking the sixth consecutive day of poor air quality, making it difficult even for healthy individuals to breathe. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR was recorded at 494, with at least five areas exceeding 500, the "severe" category.

Situation Across the Region

While conditions in North and Central India were slightly better compared to Delhi-NCR, air quality in most areas remained far below acceptable standards. Efforts to curb pollution, such as the implementation of GRAP-4 restrictions, failed to show significant results, raising concerns over the effectiveness of existing measures.

Delhi Seeks Artificial Rain to Combat Pollution

Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to the Union Environment Minister, requesting an emergency meeting and approval for artificial rainfall to mitigate the crisis.
“We first wrote to the Union Minister on August 30, then again on October 10 and October 23, but received no response,” Rai said. Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Rai has now sought the Prime Minister's intervention to address the crisis.

Supreme Court’s Response

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna urged the judiciary to conduct virtual hearings where possible, citing the hazardous air quality. While many lawyers advocated for a shift to online hearings, the Supreme Court decided to continue with a hybrid mode of operation.

Shifting the National Capital?

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reignited the debate on whether Delhi should remain the national capital, given its hazardous air quality. On social media, Tharoor’s suggestion sparked discussions, with some proposing alternatives like Chennai or Hyderabad, where air quality is relatively better.
Interestingly, such proposals are not unprecedented. In 2022, Indonesia decided to move its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, citing pollution and overcrowding, a project expected to be completed by 2045.

Stubble Burning Trends

While Punjab and Haryana have shown a decline in stubble burning incidents over the past five years, such cases have risen in Delhi and Rajasthan.
Between September 15 and November 17, 25,108 stubble-burning incidents were recorded across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, contributing significantly to air pollution levels.

What Lies Ahead?

With pollution levels peaking and existing measures proving inadequate, the call for innovative and stringent solutions is growing louder. Whether through artificial rainfall or stricter pollution control policies, the coming days will test the region's capacity to address this escalating environmental crisis.