Context: At the 18th BRICS Summit (New Delhi, September 13, 2026), the Prime Minister warned against the weaponisation of technology and critical minerals.Rising electrification of transport and other energy-intensive sectors is increasing demand for...

Context: Following the Supreme Court's temporary relaxation of the firecracker ban, Delhi and several north Indian cities witnessed a sharp deterioration in air quality during Deepavali 2024–26, with AQI reaching the ‘Severe’ category.Several air-qua...

Context: Delhi has implemented its Winter Action Plan from November 1, introducing measures such as restrictions on vehicles below BS-IV emission standards, the No PUCC, No Fuel policy and construction restrictions.Despite these measures, Delhi's air...

Context: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has intensified action against stubble burning in Punjab following a recent spike in Delhi's air pollution.Delhi's Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, attributed the deterioration in...

Context: As Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the ‘Poor’ category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of GRAP to control pollution.Winter pollution: Low wind speeds and falling temperatures trap pollutants near the gro...

India’s Air Pollution ChallengeSeasonal pollution: India faces recurring air pollution alongside other environmental crises such as heatwaves and floods. Despite repeated interventions, toxic air continues to threaten public health, livelihoods and p...

Jojari River Pollution: Key IssuesSupreme Court intervention: The Supreme Court has reprimanded the Rajasthan government over industrial effluents entering the Jojari River, posing serious health risks to communities dependent on the river. The probl...

Context: As Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) face winter pollution, the effectiveness of green crackers in reducing air and noise pollution remains questionable.In November 2016, the Supreme Court suspended fireworks sale licences in the N...

Context: Changing pollution discourse: Scientific evidence increasingly recognises that Delhi’s air pollution cannot be addressed through city-level measures alone; pollution sources across the wider region must also be tackled.Transport emissions:&n...

Context: Stubble burning is the deliberate burning of crop residue left after harvesting, particularly paddy straw in Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, mainly during October–November; it contributes to North India’s winter air pollution.Pun...

Context: Rapid EV Growth: India’s electric vehicle (EV) sales increased from 2,322 in FY 2014–15 to 25.45 lakh in FY 2025–26, reflecting rapid electrification of mobility.Delhi’s Strategy: Delhi’s Electric Vehicle Policy aims to accelerate this trans...

Context: As the paddy harvesting season approaches, Punjab and neighbouring States are likely to again face the problem of stubble (parali) burning, contributing to severe air pollution in northern India.Farmers face a difficult choice because p...