The focus now must shift to immediate actions that individuals and authorities can take to reduce harm—such as closing schools, offices, and banning certain activities. Firstly, stubble burning should be criminalised and penalised, with alternative waste disposal methods implemented long before smog season. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the viability of remote and hybrid work arrangements; for the three months when smog is most severe, schools and government offices could also operate in hybrid mode. Finally, costly but effective methods like cloud seeding and artificial rainfall could be considered to temporarily alleviate smog when conditions are particularly severe. Otherwise, millions will face yet another year of hazardous smog, suffocating under dangerous air quality, with lives being lost every moment.

Source: The Nation November 13, 2024 13:46 UTC