The iconic Taj Mahal in the northern city of Agra is covered in toxic fumes every year [Getty Images]
“When I came out of my house, it was like I was inhaling smoke,” said Imran Ahmed Ali, a lawyer in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh.
Pollution levels in Chandigarh – India's first planned city, 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the capital Delhi – have been more than 15 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for more than a month. .
It has become commonplace that the air quality in this city is lowered every winter, but Mr Ali says he has never been sick like this before.
A few weeks ago, the 31-year-old began experiencing a dry cough and shortness of breath, which he initially dismissed as symptoms of the seasonal flu. But as the temperature dropped, the chest congestion worsened and he went to the doctor.
“After examining me many times, the doctor told me that my symptoms were caused by pollution. “Now I take medicine twice a day to control my breathing,” he said.
Mr Ali is among the hundreds of millions of people living in northern India who are forced to breathe toxic air pollution for long periods of time every winter.
According to the Swiss company IQAir, eight of the world's 10 most polluted cities last year were located in the Indo-Gangetic plains – a densely populated region that runs through northern and eastern India, as well as 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 in Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal – is the most polluted region in India. Compared to WHO standards, air pollution at current levels can reduce life expectancy here by 5.4 years, it added.
But as toxic smog settles in every winter, headlines and attention are focused on Delhi.
Breathing polluted air can cause serious health problems [Getty Images]
Delhi gets significant attention because of its position as India's capital, said Partha Basu, a strategic adviser at the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit group focused on delivering climate solutions.
Every year, the Delhi government implements an annual action plan, which includes measures such as driving restrictions and bans on construction activities during periods of high pollution.
Although there are criticisms that this is not enough, many other areas in northern India have not seen these measures in action.
Mr Basu says that most of the time, people do not associate other parts of northern India – especially towns and small towns and cities – with high pollution.
“With [people’s] minds, the villages are clean, green and clean – but that is far from the truth,” he says.
Pollution in the region is not caused by a single factor, but a combination of factors – such as construction activities, vehicle emissions, industrial emissions and burning of crop residues at certain times of the year.
Although many of these features are present throughout the year, the difference in the winter months – from October to January – is the weather conditions.
Air quality worsens every winter because cold, dry air traps pollutants close to the ground, making it harder for them to disperse, said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at weather forecasting firm Skymet.
The landlocked Indo-Gangetic Plain worsens the situation. The region is surrounded by mountains and does not have strong winds, which often help to blow the polluted air.
Other cities in northern India are often overlooked as Delhi's air pollution problem gets attention [Getty Images]
Doctors and health experts warn of the dangers of breathing in these pollutants.
“Patients complain of burning in the eyes and throat when they go outside. Some face difficulty breathing,” said Dr Rajesh Gupta, director of the pulmonary department at Fortis Hospital in Greater Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Dr. Gupta says that healthy people also experience respiratory problems at this time of year, while children and the elderly are the most at risk.
Dark situations also harm the mind. Aditi Garg, who works in the city of Meerut – about 100km from Delhi – used to enjoy quiet moments on her balcony every morning.
That system has been completely disrupted.
Since mid-October, pollution levels in Meerut have remained at levels considered “poor” or “severe”, making it difficult to breathe.
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, this is the best I can do,” he said.
And not everyone has the right to live in housing.
In Uttar Pradesh alone, more than 83 million people are registered as workers in the informal sector. The actual number is likely to be much higher.
This includes daily wage workers, street vendors and agricultural workers who have no choice but to work outside, putting their health at risk.
Mohammed Salim Siddiqui says it is impossible to avoid toxic air [BBC]
Standing outside his hut in the Uttar Pradesh city of Kanpur, Mohammad Salim Siddiqui is panting as he speaks.
An auto parts dealer and the sole breadwinner of his family, Mr Siddiqui has to deal with pollution on a daily basis.
“Two members of my family have breathing problems because of the pollution,” said Mr Siddiqui, adding that it is worse in overcrowded slums.
“We need help,” he said.
Over the years, governments in some states have made efforts to combat pollution.
In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) with the aim of reducing particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5, small particles that can enter the lungs and cause disease) levels by 20-30% by 2026 if compared to 2017. standards.
The goal was later revised to reduce PM10 levels by up to 40% by 2026.
Under the plan, 131 Indian cities – including many in the Indo-Gangetic Plains – were to develop integrated plans to deal with local sources of pollution.
While it has helped raise awareness and set goals, experts say stronger action and better communication between local and state governments are needed to make a real difference.
Mr Basu says the lack of dialogue remains a major obstacle in the fight for meaningful change.
Both Ms. Garg and Mr. Ali echoed this, saying that there are no discussions about toxic air in their cities.
“Unfortunately, people have accepted this as part of their lives,” said Mr Ali.
“It's a conversation they have every year when pollution is at its peak, and then they forget about it – until next time.”
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