Clean-up act: Why Delhi has consistently failed to make its air breathable

Experts say a China-like approach is needed with neighbouring states working alongside it

Nitin Kumar | New Delhi
Last Updated at January 16, 2023 22:57 IST

New Delhi: Commuters ply on the road amid low visibility due to dense smog on a cold winter morning, in New Delhi (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)

A “gas chamber” is how Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had described the city in November 2017 as air pollution hit severe levels. Five years later, while the number of "severe" days might have fallen, for the national capital, poor and very poor air quality days have been a given – despite emergency measures such as temporarily banning construction, or diesel and old petrol vehicles from roads, or shutting down industries.

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