India's Capital Grapples with Devastating Air Pollution: Children Most Affected
New Delhi: The capital city of India continues to struggle with acute air pollution, forcing authorities to shut down schools for nearly two million students in the region. Nine-year-old Harshita Gautam is among those learning from home, her mobile phone constantly dropping out as she struggles to follow her online lesson.
The situation in New Delhi serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of poor air quality on children's health and development. Levels of PM2.5, or micro particles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs, surged 60 times past the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum on Monday, with farmers' agricultural burning, factories, and traffic fumes blamed for the crisis.
A study in the Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths in India to air pollution in 2019. Scientific evidence shows that children who breathe polluted air are at higher risk of developing acute respiratory infections, and nearly one in three school-aged children in the capital were afflicted by asthma and airflow obstruction, according to a report from the UN children's agency.
Maya Devi, Harshita's mother, is among those struggling to cope with the situation. "My child doesn't have to worry about their studies or food when they're at school," she told AFP. "But at home, it's a burden. We hardly have any attention from them."
The impact of air pollution on children goes beyond health concerns. Sunita Bhasin, director of the Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute school, said that abrupt school closures often lead to disruptions and result in children spending more time outdoors, breathing in polluted air.
"The foul air severely impacts children," she said. "There is no space for them in their homes, so they will go out on the streets and play."
Parents like Maya Devi are growing increasingly frustrated with the government's inability to address the crisis effectively. "Why should our children suffer?" she asked. "They must find some solution."