India, a war zone for foreign travellers
The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is among India's most polluted regions, and air quality across northern India has worsened this past week. Flight disruptions were inevitable.
Yet, administrative inaction remains a constant challenge, as does an apathetic citizenry. While stubble-burning as winter approaches gets the lion-share of the blame, pollution is not a seasonal menace but a year-round crisis for IGP, fuelled by polluting factories, an increasing number of vehicles and weak enforcement of green laws.
Cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds worsen the situation by trapping deadly pollutants each winter.
Last month, after years of dithering, GoI finally set up a panel to develop an airshed approach, a much-needed step to address this scourge. But will it deliver results, or merely shuffle papers? If the Taj's disappearing into a smoggy abyss isn't a wake-up call, what is? The stakes — health, economy and India's global standing — demand action, not more bureaucratic tiptoeing.
