Air pollution has reached dangerous levels not only in cities but in our villages as well

It is that time of the year when there is much breast-beating about the poisonous air in our capital. The hazardous quality of air in the national capital region (NCR) is indeed a cause for serious concern. On Diwali, a combination of farm residue burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicular and industrial emissions, and bursting of firecrackers led to the air quality index in Delhi and its satellite cities exceeding 999 in many areas. The World Health Organisation considers air quality to be healthy only till a reading of 50.

This seasonal worry about air pollution in winter actually ends up hiding the darker reality of its all-pervasive nature throughout the year. Central Pollution Control Board data shows that air quality is bad not just in Delhi but in more than a hundred cities across the country, including our coastal metros. Also, in the brouhaha over cities and towns, we conveniently ignore the fact that people in our villages also suffer severely from the ill effects of air pollution.