Marketplace All-in-One Air pollution in Delhi is hitting consumers, businesses
Dec 15, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Devina Gupta, a BBC correspondent based in Delhi, shares her vivid experiences of the city's severe air pollution crisis. She describes the oppressive atmosphere, where visibility is compromised by thick clouds of dust and smoke. Devina delves into the new local restrictions that are hampering productivity and affecting daily wage workers. Most strikingly, she highlights a staggering economic burden, estimating annual business losses in Delhi at $95 billion as consumer activity declines amid this escalating environmental issue.
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Standing Inside A Cloud Of Smoke
- Devina Gupta describes breathing heavy air with visibility sharply reduced in Delhi this winter.
- She says millions now treat thick smoke and dust as a normalised seasonal event.
Weather, Crop Burning, And Big Economic Costs
- Seasonal weather and crop stubble burning trap pollutants and make Delhi's winters repeatedly hazardous.
- Dalberg estimates air pollution costs Indian businesses roughly $95 billion a year, about 3% of GDP.
Graded Restrictions Hit Work And Consumption
- Delhi's graded response action plan enforces severe restrictions at the worst pollution stage.
- Those limits halt construction and reduce consumer footfall, directly cutting productivity and consumption.