Politics hampers Delhi’s fight against air pollution

DURING THE last week of October, Delhi’s air quality began its seasonal shift from unpleasantly foul to sickeningly filthy. As temperatures dropped and clouds heavy with brown particulate matter drifted in from neighbouring states, the official rating of air quality in India’s capital went from “poor” to “very poor” and then “severe” in places. This means that Delhi’s air, the most polluted of any big city, is now hazardous to breathe even for healthy people. It is likely to remain so for much of the next three months.