Views on the annual Delhi pollution debate

This is in response to the "Photo of the day: A game of soccer in post-Diwali Delhi" published on the website on October 21, 2025.

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As Diwali draws to a close, there is something I have been observing very closely this year: the issue of air pollution in Delhi and the adjoining regions of northern India. Predictably, the usual headlines have returned: "Delhi wakes up to a blanket of smog"; "Air quality dips to record low after Diwali"; "Capital turns into a gas chamber post-fireworks"; and so on. I am not trying to downplay the seriousness of pollution, nor am I dismissing environmental concerns. What I do question, however, is the lack of scientific nuance in the way this issue is discussed, especially around Diwali.