Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Delhi Air Quality Remains Severe Amid Stubble Burning Concerns
Imagine Delhi is covered in a thick, unhealthy haze, making it hard to breathe.
This is happening because of pollution, and one big reason is farmers burning leftover crop stalks after harvest.
One idea is that regular people could pay farmers to stop burning the stalks, like a business deal.
Another idea is that the government needs to make bigger changes, like making cars and factories cleaner and managing trash better.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, police caught people trying to make a very dangerous poison from castor beans called Ricin.
Also, India's carbon dioxide emissions, a gas that warms the planet, are growing slower than before.
Finally, some rules that made companies use specific materials for textiles have been taken away to help that industry when US tariffs made exports difficult.
Delhi's air quality index remains 'Severe' with an average of 404, with stubble burning identified as a key contributor.
Discussions are ongoing regarding whether private individuals or the government should take the lead in implementing solutions for air pollution.
Three men were arrested in Gujarat for allegedly attempting to produce the lethal chemical compound Ricin, a toxin extracted from castor beans.
India's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are projected to increase by 1.4% in 2025, a slower rate than the previous year.
Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on 14 textile manufacturing input items have been revoked to address industry stress caused by US tariffs.
- Who
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ishan Bakshi, Anumita Roychowdhury, Government of India, farmers in Punjab, residents of Delhi-NCR, Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Global Carbon Project (GCP)
- What
- Delhi's air quality remains in the 'Severe' category; discussions on private vs. government solutions for air pollution, including stubble burning; an arrest for alleged Ricin production; India's projected CO2 emission growth; and the revocation of quality control orders on textile manufacturing inputs.
- When
- November 14, 2025 (current AQI data and announcements); Ongoing paddy harvest season (stubble burning); World War I and II (Ricin weaponisation attempts); August 27 (US tariff on Indian goods); September (impact on exports)
- Where
- Delhi-NCR, India, Punjab, Gujarat, Lucknow, Azadpur (Delhi), Naroda (Ahmedabad), United States
- Why
- To address the severe air pollution in Delhi-NCR, which is exacerbated by stubble burning and other emission sources; to tackle potential terror threats; and to support the textile manufacturing sector facing export challenges.
Arguments for Private Sector Solutions to Air Pollution
Arguments for Government Intervention in Air Pollution
Role of Government vs. Private Sector
Arguments for Private Sector Solutions to Air Pollution
The government has repeatedly failed to provide clean air, suggesting that private individuals or entities should engage directly with farmers to find solutions for stubble burning.
Arguments for Government Intervention in Air Pollution
The government has the capacity to clean Delhi's air through systemic changes, but lacks the will to implement necessary reforms and regulations in sectors like transport, industry, and waste management.
Cost of Stubble Management
Arguments for Private Sector Solutions to Air Pollution
The cost of procuring and managing stubble could be borne by private individuals, with estimates suggesting a cost of Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 crore for Punjab, translating to Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 per household in the NCR annually.
Arguments for Government Intervention in Air Pollution
Systemic changes require government mandates, compliance requirements, and fiscal enablers to align public spending and private investments towards clean air objectives, including addressing vehicular, industrial, and waste emissions.
- Average AQI in Delhi
- 404 (on Nov 14, 2025)
- Stubble Disposal Requirement (Punjab)
- 20-24 million tonnes
- Estimated Cost of Stubble Procurement (Punjab)
- Rs 2,000 - Rs 4,000 crore
- Estimated Annual Household Cost (NCR)
- Rs 2,500 - Rs 5,000
- Projected CO2 Emissions Growth (India, 2025)
- 1.4%
- Ricin Toxin Status
- Schedule 1 toxin under the Chemical Weapons Convention
- Products with Revoked QCOs
- 14 (chemical intermediates, synthetic fibres, polymer resins)