In The Washington Post Monkey Cage blog, Political Science Prof. Aseem Prakash and colleagues, Nives Dolšak, Thomas Bernauer and Liam McGrath, report on the reasons for Delhi, India area’s dangerous smog alert.
Though the government has limited vehicle use and banned construction, these usual suspects are not the cause. What is the problem?: Farmers and politics that lets them continue to burn.
Politicians are wary of trying to prevent crop burning lest they antagonize the powerful farm lobby, lose electoral support and set off political turmoil among regional and ethnic interests.
Local attempts to ease pollution by limiting vehicle use and even celebratory firecrackers on holidays have not really helped the problem. This an urban versus rural problem and no one wants to upset either electorate.
For the full article, please click here.