India Faces Severe Environmental Pollution During Festive Season and Crop Burning

India experiences significant environmental degradation during the festive season. The immersion of <b>Plaster of Paris idols</b> in water bodies and loud music during celebrations contribute to pollution. Additionally, farmers in the <b>Punjab and Haryana plains</b> engage in ritualistic crop burning. This practice leads to a severe drop in air quality, with North Indian cities often recording an <b>AQI above 400</b>. The report highlights that India possesses some of the most polluted air and rivers globally, exacerbated by the use of pesticides in agriculture.