The Hindu: Published on 21st November 2025.
Why in News?
Air pollution has once again become a major topic of public discussion as severe winter smog in the Indo-Gangetic region has pushed air quality to extremely poor levels. In Delhi and Lahore, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recently recorded in the “very hazardous” category, and satellite images showed dense brown clouds of smoke hanging over both regions. Public health advisories, emergency actions, and partial restrictions were imposed, which is a pattern that repeats almost every year.
What is happening in South Asia?
The deteriorating air is not restricted to a single city or country. Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan were severely affected by smog, and due to slowed winds, smoke from across the border also reached Pakistan. In India, Delhi’s air again turned dangerous due to local emissions, temperature inversion, and pollutants coming from neighboring regions. Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka also frequently records “moderate to extremely poor” air quality during winters. Kathmandu in Nepal too witnesses toxic winter smog almost every year. Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives remain relatively less affected because air disperses better there and industrial as well as vehicular emissions are low. This situation shows that the toxic cloud functions as a shared regional crisis rather than a country-specific problem.
Why is the pollution so severe?
The main causes are human-generated emissions which include smoke from factories and brick kilns, vehicle emissions, coal-based power generation, the use of solid fuels in households, and the burning of garbage and agricultural residue. Besides these, shared geographical and climatic conditions aggravate the crisis. The Indo-Gangetic plain acts like a bowl in which pollution gets trapped. During winters, wind speed slows down, fog thickens, and temperature inversion prevents pollutants from rising upward, obstructing air purification. Changing wind patterns push this trapped pollution across borders, turning a local issue into a regional crisis. The biggest concern is that governments act only when AQI reaches hazardous levels. Measures taken are mostly temporary, such as closing schools, restricting vehicles, banning firecrackers, etc., which serve only as quick reactions rather than long-term solutions. Even though pollution is shared, regional political cooperation remains very weak.
Is this also a development crisis?
Yes, air pollution reveals the cost of unplanned development. Rapidly increasing vehicle numbers have surpassed the capacity of public transport. Cities are turning into concrete jungles, and greenery is disappearing. Industrial expansion is moving faster than environmental regulations. Farmers are forced to burn crop residues because they lack affordable alternatives. Polluted air is reducing productivity, making people sick, decreasing life expectancy, and increasing healthcare expenditure. Diseases and premature deaths caused by pollution result in major losses to national income.
Impact on India’s economy:
India is forced to spend heavily on healthcare due to pollution, especially on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Children and workers fall sick more often, lowering educational output and labour productivity. Polluted air reduces life expectancy, which, in turn, lowers long-term economic output. The economic loss caused by air pollution every year eats up a significant share of national income. Thus, pollution becomes a “hidden tax” on the economy and human welfare.
What should be the way forward?
A shared regional strategy is urgently needed, where the Indo-Gangetic smog is treated as a unified air-shed. This approach must include joint frameworks for crop residue management, brick kiln standards, industrial regulation, and pollution early-warning systems. Long-term solutions must reduce dependence on coal and dirty fuels, with major investments not only in private electric vehicles but in public transportation. Farmers should receive machines and subsidies so that they are not forced to burn residue, and alternative uses such as biofuels, fodder, or packaging materials should be promoted. Urban redesign is essential—expanding metro and bus networks, building walking and cycling tracks, enforcing strict vehicle emissions norms, increasing urban green cover, and regulating construction dust. From a public health perspective, pollution insurance, respiratory clinics, and free masks must be provided to poor and vulnerable populations. Special protective measures are required for children, the elderly, and outdoor workers. Ultimately, governance must adopt a scientific approach where decisions are based on meteorology and regional monitoring, rather than panic-driven responses adopted only during crises.
Conclusion:
Air pollution in South Asia is neither merely a seasonal issue nor a crisis confined to any single country. It is a regional emergency born from shared geography, shared economic policies, and shared political neglect. Solutions, therefore, must be collaborative, long-term, and development-centered, rather than short-lived measures implemented only during the winter months.
