Delhi's Deadly Smog: A City Trapped in a Cycle of Suffering
New Delhi, India — The capital city of India is swamped by toxic smog, leaving its residents to struggle for survival. According to recent air quality index readings, the pollution levels in New Delhi have reached an alarming 1,700, more than 17 times higher than the acceptable limit.
Gola Noor and her husband Shahbaz, who work as waste collectors, are among those suffering from the devastating effects of the smog. They brave hazardous conditions to earn a meager living, but their bodies pay the price with chronic coughing and skin irritation.
"No death is in the air," Shahbaz says, pointing to his wife's red eyes, "the air tastes bitter, and the coughing is constant now."
Their story is not unique. India's capital has been experiencing severe smog every winter for nearly three decades, killing an astonishing 2 million Indians each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that if action is not taken to reduce air pollution, the number could rise to over 4 million by 2050.
Environmental activist Bhavreen Khandari shares her fears about the impact of pollution on children. "At five or six years old, our kids now know the name of antibiotics because they are eating them every day," she says. "A child who knows what a nebuliser is because the air is poisonous in our capital."
These heartbreaking stories are just a glimpse into the lives of those trapped in New Delhi's toxic cycle. The city's government and citizens alike must confront the root cause of the smog: a reliance on fossil fuels, inadequate public transportation, and insufficient regulations.
"It was a really heartbreaking day," Khandari recalls while recounting a protest she participated in outside the office of India's health minister to demand healthier air for all. "There was no response, and the police blocked us."
The lack of action from authorities is exacerbated by their perceived apathy towards addressing pollution issues. Noor and her husband, for instance, have lost patience with the sprinkling of water or capping of vehicle entry into cities as a form of band-aid solution. "These measures are just temporary fixes," Shahbaz says. "We need concrete action to transform our transportation habits and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."
As pollution levels continue to rise, New Delhi has become an unbreathable city where nature is confined to rooftops and green spaces behind closed windows. For many like Sheikh Ali, the memories of a better life fade faster than they arrive.
The grandfather pulls his rickshaw in West Delhi's Dilshad Garden neighbourhood, his chest burning constantly due to air pollution. When asked about his childhood, "Vast farming land where I ran endlessly," comes alive for him. Now, he worries that pollution is taking away the last remnants of his memories.