PM climbed over 20% in Himalayas, northeast India, Indo-Gangetic plain
India
A new study says air pollution from tiny particles, or PM, has gone up by over 20% in the Himalayas, Northeast India, and the Indo-Gangetic Plain between 2010 and 2019 compared to the previous decade.
Most of this spike comes from burning crop waste and wood: basically, more smoke from fields and homes is making the air dirtier.
Burning and emissions threaten Himalayan ecosystems
The research highlights that slash-and-burn farming and cooking with biomass have made things worse in the Northeast.
Emissions from Punjab and Delhi are reaching the western Himalayas, while Bihar and West Bengal are affecting the eastern ranges.
The authors say it's urgent to act now to protect these fragile mountain ecosystems.