New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- For many Indian families, clean air has become a budget item, with spending on air purifiers and treatment for pollution-triggered respiratory problems.

From Srinagar in the north to Andhra Pradesh in the south, India's air quality map as of 6 November showed unhealthy to hazardous pollution across regions well beyond the seasonal smog in the National Capital Region (NCR).

A July 2024 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health showed that air pollution is no longer just a Delhi problem, with PM2.5, fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, posing a major health risk across large parts of India.

Seasonal factors such as stubble burning, combined with winter weather, trap pollutants ...