Lo and behold! It is “that” time of the year again. Although recent showers may have subsided the wrath of the toxic blanket of smog, for now, there’s no escaping it. Going by the “soft curfew” plan announced by Punjab government for Wednesdays amid a series of precautionary measures, the Damoclean sword appears to be inching lower and lower with each passing day. Meanwhile, the administration of Lahore, the most polluted city in the Central and South Asian region, decided to jump in the ring with campaigns designed to spread awareness about green measures. Before sensational tickers take their tinted binoculars and zoom in on activities in Indian Punjab, it would be worthwhile to realise the errors in our own ways. For the last few years, the slightest dip in temperatures pushes Lahore into the deadly abyss of its fifth season where toxic fumes play havoc with people’s health and even lives. No amount of court directives or much-touted government pledges have yet been successful in clearing the air largely because of the impunity enjoyed by all the culprits. Simply charging farmers for burning stubble for two or three weeks cannot produce lasting solutions. Just as helpless is waving the first climate change policy and feeling good about oneself if nothing significant would change on the ground. Vehicle and industrial emissions continue to be released with a pristine sense of impunity. Zigzag technology has yet to be implemented for brick kilns and agricultural and real estate mafias very conveniently brush all their wrongdoings under the hate-India rug. We could do wonders if we learned from the success stories in the neighbourhood. With PM2.5 levels coming down to 65.8 from 76.9, Bangladesh is well on its way to coming out of the danger zone. Although a regional approach is required to address this transboundary issue, one could always hope for measures taken at home to create ripples outside. *