Abhishek Vij
The latter half of December, as every year, brings with it the onslaught of severe cold and fog. This time too, the misfortune of dense fog and biting cold is affecting everything from ordinary citizens to production machinery. In Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab, the dense fog is causing numerous accidents. Railway and air services are running late, many are suspended or diverted. In Haryana, on Saturday, fog blanketed 20 districts, and the mercury dropped to 4 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, due to fog in Punjab, the Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for the entire state and Chandigarh. 12 flights had to be canceled at Chandigarh Airport. Two motorcyclists lost their lives in accidents caused by the fog.
In Delhi, 129 flights were canceled due to dense fog. Schools in 11 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were closed. This is just a brief account of some incidents, while the entire North India is grappling with the cold, fog, and smog. In Mount Abu, Rajasthan, the temperature also dropped to 4 degrees Celsius. Along with this, air pollution has reached critical levels. The situation in the capital Delhi is particularly dire. With the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining above 400 for several days, people in many areas experienced difficulty breathing. The situation has become so bad that people have stopped going for morning walks. International events are being postponed. Athletes are unable to train in open fields. It’s not just Delhi; every year, the havoc caused by fog intensifies in these states.
The harsh weather is also impacting the productivity of these states. The key to the success of any production is its efficiency and smooth operation. This fog, smog, and the suffocating AQI are becoming a major obstacle to this efficiency. Passengers are facing immense difficulties due to the suspension of air and rail services. Life in many cities has come to a standstill. In Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states, driving on the roads has become extremely dangerous due to the dense fog. The situation is similar in many cities, not only at night but also during the day, due to the fog and mist. Vehicle collisions and resulting casualties are common during this time of year, as is the case every year.
In many places, accident victims do not receive timely assistance. Why aren’t the reasons for this deteriorating weather properly investigated? For a long time, the increase in the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the resulting respiratory problems were attributed to stubble burning in Punjab. However, experts say that stubble burning may be only one contributing factor, but the large-scale environmental pollution is a consequence of unbalanced development. Until development is balanced, there is little hope of escaping this unfortunate situation.
One thing is certain: stubble burning in Punjab is not the sole cause of this problem. Punjab itself is facing the brunt of the cold and fog during these days. The Punjab government has issued some guidelines to deal with this situation. We believe that much more needs to be done to tackle this recurring problem every year. A comprehensive approach should be developed to address the fog, mist, and air pollution affecting every state. Until this is done, simply hoping for favorable weather will not be enough. A holistic approach is the only solution to this entire problem.