Letter.

Letter Published in The National UAE on 10 Nov 23, Only political will can fix Delhi's smog problem I write in reference to Taniya Dutta's article India’s top court demands end to stubble burning to curb pollution (November 7): the issue of smog in Delhi during the winter is a very serious, contentious and persistent problem for its residents. It has been an issue for several years, with no easy solution in sight. Every single political party that has governed Delhi and the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana has failed in fixing the problem. Some of Delhi's pollution is caused by vehicles and the wood that is burnt outdoors to keep the poor, particularly the homeless, warm. But by far, the biggest source is the stubble that farmers across Punjab and Haryana burn in order to clear the paddy for new crops. This happens during the winter. Finding a lasting solution requires vision, imagination and sincerity, which many of today's politicians, unfortunately, seem to lack. So, rather than doing something about it, they rake up the issue about this time every year for the purpose of getting one-up over their rivals. Until there is a genuine political desire to tackle the issue, I'm afraid it will resurface year after year after year. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India