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The iconic Taj Mahal in the northern city of Agra is covered in toxic smog every year.
“When I left my house, I felt like I was inhaling smoke,” says Imran Ahmed Ali, a lawyer in Chandigarh, in northern India.
Pollution levels in Chandigarh – India's first planned city, located around 240 km from the capital Delhi – have been more than 15 times the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended safe limit since more than a month.
It's now common for city air quality to worsen every winter, but Mr Ali says he's never felt so sick before.
A few weeks ago, the 31-year-old began experiencing a dry cough and shortness of breath, which he initially thought were symptoms of a seasonal cold. But as the temperature dropped, his chest congestion worsened and he went to a doctor.
“After doing several tests, the doctor told me that my symptoms were caused by pollution. I now take medication twice a day to manage my breathing,” he says.
Mr Ali is one of hundreds of millions of people living in northern India who are forced to breathe polluted and toxic air for long periods each winter.
According to the Swiss company IQAir, eight of the ten most polluted cities in the world last year were located in the Indo-Gangetic plains, a densely populated region that stretches to the north and east of India, as well as 'to parts of Pakistan and Nepal.
A recent report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago reiterates that the northern plains – home to 540.7 million people across Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal – are the most polluted region of India. Compared to WHO standards, air pollution at current levels could reduce people's life expectancy by 5.4 years, it adds.
But as toxic smog clears each winter, headlines and attention focus mainly on Delhi.
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Breathing polluted air can cause serious health complications
Delhi receives special attention because of its position as India's capital, says Partha Basu, strategic adviser to the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit group focused on providing climate solutions.
Every year, the Delhi government implements an annual action plan, which includes measures such as traffic restrictions and a ban on construction activities during peak pollution periods.
Although some critics say this is not enough, most other parts of northern India have not seen such proactive measures.
Mr. Basu says that people often don't associate other parts of northern India – especially villages and small towns – with high pollution.
“In (people's) minds, villages are clean, green and pristine, but that is far from the reality,” he says.
Pollution in the region is not caused by a single factor, but by a combination of elements, such as construction activities, vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants and seasonal burning of crop residues.
While many of these factors are present throughout the year, the difference between the winter months – October through January – is the weather conditions.
Air quality deteriorates every winter because cold, stagnant air traps pollutants close to the ground, making them more difficult to disperse, says Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at the company. Skymet weather forecast.
The landlocked geography of the Indo-Gangetic plain aggravates the situation. The region is surrounded by mountains and lacks strong winds, which normally help blow away polluted air.
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Other cities in northern India are often overlooked while Delhi's air pollution crisis gets all the attention.
Doctors and health experts warn of the risks of inhaling these pollutants.
“Patients complain of a burning sensation in the eyes and throat when they go out. Some have difficulty breathing,” says Dr Rajesh Gupta, director of the pulmonary department at Fortis Hospital, Greater Noida, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Dr Gupta says people who are otherwise healthy also develop respiratory problems at this time of year and children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.
The difficult conditions also take a mental toll. Aditi Garg, who works in the city of Meerut – about 100 km from Delhi – cherished quiet moments on her balcony every morning.
This routine has been completely disrupted.
Since mid-October, pollution levels in Meerut have remained at levels classified as “low” or “severe”, making breathing difficult.
Ms. Garg now spends almost all her time indoors, next to her air purifier, trying to protect herself from the toxic air outside.
“I have no choice but to stay inside, it’s the best I can do,” she said.
And not everyone has the privilege of staying indoors.
In Uttar Pradesh alone, more than 83 million people are registered as employees in the unorganized sector. The real number is probably much higher.
This includes daily wage laborers, street vendors and agricultural laborers who have no choice but to work outside, risking their health.
Mohammed Salim Siddiqui says it is impossible to avoid toxic air
Standing outside his slum in the city of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Salim Siddiqui gasps as he speaks.
A seller of automobile parts and sole breadwinner, Mr. Siddiqui must face pollution on a daily basis.
“Two members of my family suffer from respiratory problems because of the pollution,” says Mr. Siddiqui, adding that the situation is particularly serious in the crowded slums.
“We need help,” he said.
Over the years, some state governments have made efforts to combat the problem of pollution.
In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) with the aim of reducing levels of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5, tiny particles that can enter the lungs and cause disease) by 20-30%. by 2026 compared to 2017. levels.
The target was later updated to reduce PM10 levels by up to 40% by 2026.
Under the program, 131 Indian cities – including many in the Indo-Gangetic plains – were to develop tailor-made plans to combat local sources of pollution.
While this has helped raise awareness and set goals, experts say stronger action and better coordination between local and state governments are needed to make a real difference.
Mr Basu says the lack of dialogue remains the main obstacle to meaningful change.
Ms. Garg and Mr. Ali share this view, saying there is virtually no conversation about toxic air quality in their cities.
“People have unfortunately accepted this as part of their lives,” Mr Ali says.
“It’s a discussion they have every year when pollution peaks, and then forget about it – until next time.”
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