Air pollution turns into a nightmare in northern India and Pakistan

Pollution in Lahore, Pakistan, November 18, 2024. ARIF ALI/AFP A thick, gray mist, a permanent burning smell, completely stale air, attacking the eyes, throat and lungs: the trap of winter pollution extreme has closed in on the inhabitants of northern India and Pakistan. In the two neighboring regions, human health is threatened. Sunday, November 17, turned into a nightmare in the Indian capital, New Delhi. The atmosphere continued to deteriorate throughout the day, reaching an air quality index of 1,500 around 8:30 p.m. Monday the 18th in the morning, the threshold of 1,800 was crossed. At this level, any prolonged outing outdoors is risky, the air quality being considered poor above the index 50, extremely poor above 300. However, the streets were crowded and practically no residents were there. wore a protective mask, ignoring the danger. “What do you want me to do?” That I stay at home and stop feeding my family? “, exclaims Rajesh, a street vendor of momos, a Himalayan dumpling specialty, parked with his cart at the exit of the Chhatarpur district. Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Pakistan ravaged by climate change Read later The deterioration is partly due to the arson of stubble in the fields of Punjab, lit by farmers to eliminate rice crop residues and spend more quickly to the next seeds. Northwest-oriented winds blew the smoke over the capital, where the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures created a sort of lid, preventing pollutants from dissipating. On a clear day, the atmosphere improves a little with the appearance of the sun, but on Sunday it remained hidden by mist. The authorities, unable to put an end to these harmful agricultural practices, launched an emergency plan on Sunday: stopping construction sites, banning the entry of trucks into the capital. Schools had already been closed earlier in the week. Nobody expects a miracle. Read also | India: schools are closing everywhere due to a “severe heat wave” which exceeds 47 ° C Read later The apathy of public authorities and the inability of the Supreme Court to force the authorities to act against pollution are leading to the repetition of this scenario every winter, with dramatic health consequences: the latest study from the journal The Lancet, published in 2021, estimated the number of victims of pollution in India at 1.6 million deaths in 2019. Crisis uncontrollable” The Indian government has locked itself into denial, like the Minister of Health who, in July, affirmed before Parliament that “there is no [avait] no conclusive data available to establish a direct correlation between deaths and illnesses due exclusively to air pollution. “It’s the government’s standard response to most public health issues – questioning data or estimates and listing actions taken – whether it’s air pollution, Covid- 19 or malnutrition,” denounces Anand Krishnan, doctor in Delhi’s largest public hospital. You have 42% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.



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