India, Nov. 12 -- Every winter, Delhi struggles to breathe. This year is no exception. Children are kept indoors, schools face restrictions, outdoor workers continue their routines under hazardous conditions, and families wonder whether clean air has become a luxury. Almost on cue, attention turns to Punjab, where farmers burn paddy stubble after harvest-and the familiar cycle of accusations, emergency restrictions, and political recriminations begins again.

Does stubble burning adequately explain Delhi's recurring air crisis? More importantly, can blaming farmers deliver cleaner air? It gives an impression that the problem has no solution.

The events of November 2026 underline the urgency of these questions. Delhi's air quality index (...