From odd-even to cloud seeding: Why Delhi’s pollution battle remains unfinished | India News

Every winter, Delhi’s air turns toxic.Governments change, action plans get revamped and new solutions are announced.Yet, the capital continues to battle hazardous air, with residents bearing the health costs of a crisis that refuses to go away.At the time of publishing this article on Saturday (7pm IST), Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 367, in the ‘very poor’ category, which had breached the ‘severe’ level on Friday.The latest spike came days after Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali in five years.Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments introduced separate action plans and announced a range of measures to tackle Delhi’s recurring air pollution crisis during their respective tenures. Both failed.So are successive governments fighting pollution at its source, or merely trying to manage the smog after it sets in?

2024 vs 2026: What changed in strategy?

Rules under AAPWhen AAP was in power in Delhi, its 2024 Winter Action Plan focused on a combination of emergency interventions, dust suppression and monitoring of pollution sources.The 21-point plan, announced in September 2024, included drone surveillance of pollution hotspots, a special task force, anti-dust campaigns at construction sites and the deployment of mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers and mobile anti-smog guns. The odd-even vehicle scheme was another emergency option used by AAP govt to reduce vehicular emissions if air quality deteriorated further.The AAP government’s plan also targeted industrial pollution, open waste burning and stubble burning. It called for stricter monitoring of construction sites, action against polluting industrial units and enforcement of pollution-control norms.A ban on firecrackers was announced ahead of Diwali to prevent a seasonal spike in emissions.

Rules under BJPFollowing BJP’s victory in the February 2025 assembly elections, the new government under chief minister Rekha Gupta introduced a 25-point Air Pollution Mitigation Plan in June, followed by a separate Winter Action Plan in October 2026.Its strategy placed greater emphasis on enforcement against polluting vehicles, construction dust and industrial emissions. Measures included ANPR cameras to identify overage vehicles, restrictions on certain polluting commercial vehicles, expansion of electric public transport and stricter checks at PUC centres. For dust control, the government announced the deployment of 86 mechanical road sweepers, 300 water sprinklers and 362 anti-smog guns under its winter plan.BJP also attempted cloud seeding in October 2025 as an experimental measure to induce artificial rain and wash pollutants out of the air. However, the two trials conducted on October 28 failed to produce rainfall, with insufficient moisture in the clouds cited as the primary reason.A subsequent trial was also called off because of unfavourable atmospheric conditions.This year, the Supreme Court permitted the use of certified green firecrackers during Diwali under limited hours.Why Delhi keeps chokingWhile emergency interventions such as cloud seeding, smog guns and traffic restrictions are often discussed as possible solutions, environmental experts argue that the problem requires a more sustained, science-led approach. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at EnviroCatalysts, explains why these measures have limited impact and what Delhi needs to address the pollution crisis in the long run.Dahiya said cloud seeding cannot be a reliable solution to Delhi’s winter pollution as it requires moisture-laden clouds, which are largely absent during the smog season.“You can’t seed clouds that aren’t there,” he said, adding that even if artificial rain is induced, the relief may last only a few hours. Pollution also moves across administrative boundaries and can quickly return due to emissions from the wider Delhi-NCR airshed. “Cloud seeding treats the symptom, at best, for a few hours,” he said.On the contribution of vehicles to Delhi’s pollution, Dahiya said they remain among the biggest local sources of PM2.5. Citing IITM’s real-time data, he said vehicular emissions accounted for 31% of PM2.5 on November 13, making them the largest single direct source. However, he cautioned against relying solely on restrictions without improving public transport. “

You can’t ban your way out if people have no alternative,” he said, pointing out that around 6,400 buses with GPS were tracked on Delhi’s roads on November 13, below the city’s long-standing target.He also questioned the effectiveness of smog guns and water sprinklers in reducing city-wide PM2.5 levels, saying they mainly settle coarse dust over limited areas, while winter pollution is largely driven by fine combustion particles and secondary pollutants.Calling for dust control through paving, covering construction materials and mechanised sweeping, he described spraying water into the air as “visible action, not effective action”.Prolonged exposure to toxic airThe impact of Delhi’s recurring pollution crisis goes beyond seasonal coughing, breathlessness and respiratory infections. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to polluted air can affect lung development in children and increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems.Dr Nikhil Rajvanshi, Consultant – Pediatric Pulmonologist, Allergy and Sleep Specialist, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Delhi, explains that children inhale more air relative to their body weight than adults, making them particularly vulnerable to pollutants. He warns that children exposed to high pollution levels over several years may experience reduced lung growth and lower lung function as adults. Importantly, even children without diagnosed respiratory conditions are not immune. “Some effects may persist even after exposure decreases,” he cautions.

Highlighting the wider health implications, Dr Vikas Mittal, Director – Pulmonology, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, says PM2.5 particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation across the body. Repeated exposure can worsen asthma and COPD, impair lung function and increase cardiovascular risks, including hypertension, heart attacks and strokes. He also warns that prolonged exposure can cause lasting changes to lung tissue, even among otherwise healthy individuals.“Some changes may improve when exposure is reduced, but prolonged injury and remodelling of lung tissue may not be completely reversible,” he says.The doctors also highlight the potential consequences of continued exposure over the next five to ten years. Dr Rajvanshi warns that an entire generation of children growing up in highly polluted environments could face reduced peak lung function, increased asthma prevalence and greater susceptibility to respiratory infections in adulthood.Dr Mittal cautions that the consequences would not be limited to people with existing illnesses, as otherwise healthy individuals are also vulnerable to the cumulative effects of prolonged exposure.Seasonal firefighting or lasting solutionsWith the crisis extending beyond Delhi’s borders, responsibility cannot rest with one government or one agency alone. It requires coordination between the Centre, Delhi and neighbouring states, along with measurable targets and accountability for missed deadlines.As political parties trade claims over who is responsible for the city’s deteriorating air, residents continue to breathe the consequences. Ultimately, the success of any government’s pollution plan will not be measured by the number of announcements or anti-smog guns deployed, but by whether Delhi can finally breathe easier, not just in winter, but throughout the year.The scale of the challenge, Dahiya said, cannot be understood by looking at Delhi’s borders or the winter stubble-burning season alone.

He said stubble burning accounts for less than 5% of Delhi’s PM2.5 over a full year, while only around 30% of the city’s pollution originates within its boundaries. This makes a regional approach essential, rather than one that focuses only on Delhi or relies on measures activated when AQI levels spike.He called for a regional airshed plan covering the NCR and the Indo-Gangetic plain, with year-round emission-reduction targets for vehicles, industries, power plants, waste, household fuel and dust. “We need targets for how many tonnes each source and each geography must cut, and by when,” he said.