Smog veils Central Asia cities as smoky stoves choke locals Snow-capped peaks used to be clearly visible from the streets of Almaty and Bishkek, two of the largest cities in Central Asia that both lie in plains surrounded by mountains. But now a heavy cloud of dark smog often blots out the view as air pollution regularly soars to levels comparable to New Delhi and Lahore, despite the cities' relative lack of industry and smallish populations. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES