Delhi's Air Pollution Crisis: How Citizens Are Normalizing a Public Health Emergency

Consider the tale of a firefighter who once sprayed kerosene on flames, reasoning that since the house was already burning, why not accelerate its demise? Deemed mentally unstable elsewhere, he might have found sympathizers in Delhi, where many think: "There's pollution anyway, so why not add to it with firecrackers?" Scientific evidence indicates that Delhi's toxic air is cutting residents' lifespans by a decade. Perhaps some embrace this fatalism with "dhuan dhuan kar do" - let it all become smoke. The smog blanketing Delhi's streets is dense, yet not as impenetrable as the mix of political inadequacy, deflection tactics, and public apathy that has normalized hazardous air as a seasonal occurrence.

A few years back, Delhi residents vocally protested poor air quality. We shared masked selfies with hashtags like #righttobreathe and demanded accountability. While some continue this advocacy, many have surrendered. Instead, people adapt - stockpiling medications and masks, purchasing air purifiers, working remotely, or temporarily relocating if possible. Those lacking such options have simply ceased to care.

This year brings a disturbing shift: an illusion of improvement. Previously, checking the Air Quality Index before venturing outside was routine. Depending on whether conditions were "very poor," "severe," or "hazardous," restrictions would be implemented and personal precautions taken. Now, this practice has become pointless since regardless of visible conditions, AQI readings remain suspiciously consistent. Reports suggest manipulation of AQI data and water being sprayed near pollution sensors to artificially lower readings. Whether these allegations prove accurate or not, public trust in the data has evaporated.

Thus, Delhi's residents suffer dual deprivation: lungs starved of oxygen and minds deprived of reliable information. We cannot breathe properly, nor can we accurately assess how badly we're struggling.

The situation deteriorates further. In previous years, Delhi's citizens would demand explanations from authorities about the annual toxic air crisis. Officials would respond with complex statistics and unfulfilled promises of future solutions. Today, authorities need not answer - citizens do it for them.

Experiment by posting about pollution or fireworks in your residential WhatsApp group or on social media. Some might express solidarity, but many will counter with deflections: "Why blame fireworks when farmers burn stubble?" "What did previous administrations accomplish?" "Why target only our festivals?" "Can you live without air conditioning?" "Delhi was always this way." The burden of proof has shifted - the government isn't being held accountable; you are. You must defend your own questions and justify your desire for breathable air.

When persistent headaches, throat irritation, and coughing make continued argument exhausting, many choose silence, repeating the mantra: this too shall pass.

Some determined citizens still organize protests. They prepare placards and slogans, gathering at India Gate. Yet police promptly appear (remarkably able to locate the monument through thick smog), declaring the protests unauthorized at that location. Demonstrators are detained and transported away while officers explain that protests may only occur at designated areas like Jantar Mantar. This enforcement operates with impressive efficiency - unlike during Diwali night when the Supreme Court's two-hour window for fireworks was broadly disregarded.

The situation is bleakly restrictive: you cannot breathe properly, cannot access accurate pollution data, and cannot protest effectively.

What options remain? You wait. Supreme Court hearings will occur, political figures will exchange blame, and social media arguments will persist. These distractions sustain engagement until conditions improve, at which point collective amnesia sets in - until next year's inevitable recurrence.

Tragically, our lungs retain what our minds discard. Poisonous air makes no distinctions between those who celebrate Diwali and those who don't, those who use fireworks and those who abstain, those supporting particular political parties and those opposing them. Someone may triumph in debates, but nobody wins in the struggle to breathe.

(The author is News Editor at NDTV)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author