Protesters demand urgent action as pollution suffocates New Delhi
New Delhi: Hundreds of people took to the streets of New Delhi, protesting against the Indian government’s failure to tackle the city’s worsening air pollution as the capital faces another winter shrouded in toxic smog.
According to Kashmir Media Service, pollution levels surged sharply, with the air quality index (AQI) crossing 350 — categorized as “very poor” by India’s Central Pollution Control Board. Some areas recorded AQI levels above 400, falling in the “severe” range, as a thick blanket of smog settled over the city amid falling temperatures.
Protesters gathered at India Gate, carrying placards and chanting slogans, demanding immediate government intervention. Children were also present, wearing protective masks. One placard read: “I miss breathing.” Some demonstrators disrupted traffic, and police detained several protesters while dispersing others.
New Delhi is consistently ranked as the world’s most polluted capital, with six of India’s cities among the ten most polluted globally and 13 in the top 20, according to Swiss air-quality monitor IQAir.
Highlighting the urgency, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the treatment of protesters on social media, writing: “The right to clean air is a basic human right.”
The protest underscores growing public frustration as the Modi government struggles to contain the capital’s recurring toxic haze, which poses serious health risks every winter.
