New Delhi, Jan. 6 -- Air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) continues to dominate headlines this winter, highlighting the absence of any long-term strategy to deal with a deadly subject that is affecting millions of lives in and around India's capital.

Of growing concern is the fact that most other urban areas in India beyond the NCR are also generating increasing levels of air pollution, with the number of 'good' air quality days trending towards zero.

Sadly, while all arms of government at various levels fail at even creating an illusion of solutions, attempts to distract the general populace by whipping up sentiments on nationalism (rejection of World Health Organization standards on air quality), religion (allowing the u...