EXPLAINER: Why India has repeated air pollution problems
Associated PressWASHINGTON — New Delhi struggles with pollution year-round, but the problem becomes acute during fall and winter months. In northern India, “the autumn spike in air pollution relates in part to the annual burning of crop residue in fields,” said Deborah Seligsohn, an Asia air pollution expert at Villanova University. It remains unclear how much of an impact a proposed “ pollution lockdown " will have on New Delhi’s air pollution, she said. “This lockdown would be in New Delhi, but a significant portion of Delhi’s air pollution doesn’t come from the city itself — it’s a regional air shed,” said Seligsohn. Prolonged exposure to air pollution leads to increased rates of respiratory illness, cardiovascular diseases, premature births and other health concerns, said Jessica Seddon, an air pollution expert at the World Resources Institute.