Smog in Delhi and Lahore

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Imagine waking up in the morning and going outside to discover that the air is so toxic that it makes your eyes water and can make it hard to breathe. This is happening to millions of people in South Asia right now, especially across areas including Lahore in Pakistan and Delhi in India, and it’s due to a thick smog that can be seen from space. “You can taste it. You can smell it. You can feel it in your throat,” says Nimisha in Delhi. “It’s captured all your senses.” Residents in both cities discuss the difficulties of trying to go about everyday life while negotiating lockdowns and also trying to get food and continuing to work. “You cannot go outside,” says Shahid in Lahore. “For the last week or so we have closed our windows.” We also hear from three students aged 13-22 about the impact on their education, as well as their mental and physical health. “Everything is so grey and bleak,” says 17 year-old Aahee in Delhi. “I can’t even see the Sun anymore. And not even five minutes in my throat starts burning, my eyes start burning. I can’t even go out without having to wear a mask.” Hosted by Mark Lowen, with conversations by Lukwesa Burak and Mark Lowen. A Boffin Media production with producer Sue Nelson in partnership with the BBC OS team, including producers Iqra Farooq and Nimrat Ahluwalia. (Photo: Smog in Lahore, Pakistan - 14 Nov 2024. Credit: RAHAT DAR/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)