Severe AQI and my right to breathe

For generations, we have been taught that Nature maintains a balance: humans and animals exhale carbon dioxide, which trees absorb through photosynthesis, helping to keep the air clean. Planting trees was therefore seen as a simple way to offset population growth and preserve air quality. However, modern development and industrialisation have overwhelmed this natural balance. Today, humans and machines emit a complex mix of pollutants-fine particulate matter (PM), toxic gases, and biological contaminants-that trees alone cannot absorb or neutralise. Air pollution has thus become a systemic problem that cannot be solved by afforestation or cosmetic clean-up measures; it requires systematic prevention of emissions at source. Over the past decade, Delhi and its adjoining regions have experienced rapid urbanisation and economic growth, accompanied by a sharp deterioration in air quality. Population expansion, explosive growth in vehicular traffic, industrial activity, large-scale construction, and biomass use across the National Capital Region (NCR) have together released vast quantities of pollutants and dust. Seasonal meteorological conditions-especially winter inversions-trap these emissions, pushing air quality to hazardous levels for prolonged periods and often rendering the city virtually unliveable, with serious public health consequences.

Delhi-NCR’s air pollution is primarily driven by toxic emissions from routine economic activities. Multiple source-apportionment studies consistently show that vehicular emissions contribute about 40 per cent, industrial sources around 20 per cent, construction dust nearly 20 per cent, power plants roughly 5 per cent, and the remainder approximately 10 per cent from residential and other sources, including biomass burning. Together, vehicles, industries, and power plants account for nearly two-thirds of the pollution load and form the most significant component of air pollution. These emissions are rich in carbon-, nitrogen-, and sulphur-based compounds and generate fine particulates such as PM2.5 and PM1, which penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. Unlike seasonal contributors, these sources operate year-round; winter merely concentrates what is already present.

Yet public discourse often fixates on stubble burning, creating a misplaced blame game. Data from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, show that farm fires contribute only about 3-4 per cent of PM2.5 during October-December, and this share has been declining over time. While biomass burning is episodic, the most toxic pollution originates from non-seasonal sources, including vehicles, industries, and construction. The real danger lies in fine particulates (PM2.5 and PM1), not coarse PM10. Treating stubble burning as the main villain obscures the persistent sources of toxic air and delays meaningful action where it matters most.

Health Hazards

Toxic air dominated by PM2.5 and PM1 poses severe and lasting health risks. These particles penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream through inhalation and even skin exposure. Once lung function is impaired, the damage is generally irreversible; treatment may slow the decline or ease symptoms, but it cannot restore destroyed airways. By the time breathlessness becomes visible, the window for meaningful intervention has often closed. Lung transplants exist for terminal COPD, but they are neither scalable nor a path to everyday life for most patients. India bears a uniquely heavy burden.

Population studies consistently show that Indians have among the poorest adult lung function globally, driven primarily by environmental exposure rather than genetics. Many begin adulthood with reduced lung reserve and experience faster decline with age. Unlike Western countries, where smoking dominates COPD risk, India’s epidemic is primarily driven by outdoor and indoor air pollution. Non-smoking women exposed to biomass fuels and urban residents breathing vehicle emissions, construction dust, and industrial pollutants year-round are especially vulnerable.

Prolonged exposure has transformed air pollution into a slow-moving public health crisis. When the AQI exceeds 400, and PM2.5 gets around 200, even healthy individuals suffer measurable harm, while children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions face severe and often irreversible damage. The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, prepared in collaboration with the WHO, estimates that 1.7 million deaths in India in 2022 were attributable to PM2.5 exposure, primarily from fossil fuel combustion.

The author’s personal experience-long-standing asthma worsening into severe COPD after moving to Delhi, ultimately costing his wife her life at a premier medical institution-underscores the human cost of prolonged exposure and the urgency of prevention.

Adding to the concern, a recent JNU study published in Nature detected high levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Delhi’s indoor and outdoor air, peaking during winter. Several strains were single- and multi-drug resistant, making infections more challenging to treat. Polluted air is thus not only a chemical hazard but also a biological one.

Despite this evidence, official acknowledgment remains limited. In parliamentary replies during 2024-25, the Ministries of Health and Environment stated that no deaths were reported due to air pollution, citing a lack of exclusive attribution. This disconnect between science and policy risks delaying effective public health action.

Pollute-and-Clean

Governance responses to air pollution have primarily relied on panic-driven, short-term interventions rather than sustained prevention measures. Measures such as smog towers, water sprinkling, episodic restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), “no fuel without PUCC” (Pollution Under Control certificate), bans on non-Bharat Stage-VI (BS6) vehicles, the use of so-called green crackers, school closures, work-from-home advisories, and vehicle rationing are routinely rolled out during pollution peaks. While highly visible, these actions operate on a limited spatial and temporal scale. Smog towers and sprinklers may briefly displace pollutants, but they do not reduce emissions at source or deliver lasting air-quality improvements for a megacity of tens of millions.

Institutional responses follow a predictable cycle. Committees are formed, reports restate well-known causes and remedies, and announcements are made-often just as winter recedes and meteorological conditions improve naturally. Pollution levels then fall marginally, creating an illusion of success, even though air quality remains unsafe for most of the year except during rainfall. The pattern repeats annually: pollution spikes, emergency measures are imposed, temporary relief follows, and structural reforms are postponed.

This pollute-and-clean paradigm has repeatedly failed. Clean air cannot be achieved through cosmetic or reactive measures. Without rigorous prevention at source, every clean-up effort remains symbolic, and the crisis inevitably returns each winter.

Prevention at Source

There is no alternative to preventing pollution at its source. Sustainable air quality requires systematic, year-round control of emissions from vehicles, industries, construction, power generation, and energy use. This approach is time-tested. Beijing faced a similar crisis a decade ago. It achieved durable improvements through ultra-strict emission standards, the expansion of clean mobility, the phased removal of older vehicles, and the relocation of polluting industries-backed by decisive, science-based policies and consistent enforcement. Addressing air pollution, therefore, demands tough choices, long-term planning, and the political will to prioritise public health over short-term convenience.

India must likewise reject the pollute-and-clean cycle and commit to long-term prevention: strengthen public transport, enforce stringent emission norms, curb unchecked private vehicle growth, invest in clean energy and electric mobility, and relocate heavily polluting industries away from dense urban centres. These measures are complex and demanding, but they remain the only credible path to lasting improvement.

Effective pollution control must focus squarely on vehicular and industrial emissions-the most toxic and persistent components of urban air. Beijing’s experience demonstrates that sustained enforcement and coordinated policy action, not cosmetic fixes, are what deliver durable gains.

The Way Forward

Policy action must be reinforced by a sustained civil movement grounded in individual and collective responsibility. Citizens can reduce emissions by shifting from private vehicles to public transport, shared mobility, and electric options. Communities can protect green spaces, curb construction dust, prevent waste burning, and limit the use of diesel generators. Visible citizen participation provides governance with both momentum and legitimacy to act decisively.

Lasting solutions demand a long-term strategy, substantial investment, and broad public acceptance. Governance must establish empowered, task-oriented bodies to assess feasibility, estimate costs, set timelines, and drive execution. What is required now is action on a war footing, grounded in science and technology, accountability, and shared responsibility across institutions, industry, and society. Only such coordinated and preventive action can break the cycle of recurring crises and deliver clean, breathable air as a fundamental public good.

How the world tackles toxic air

Air pollution is not a unique Indian problem, it is a problem confronted by most countries but many have successfully handled it. Here is how:

Transportation Reforms

Low-Emission Zones (LEZs): Over 300 cities globally, including London, Berlin, and Jakarta, use LEZs to restrict or penalize high-emission vehicles. London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has achieved an almost 50 per cent reduction in toxic nitrogen dioxide in central areas and expanded to all boroughs by late 2023.

Electrification of Public Transit: Cities like Delhi and Bengaluru are aggressively transitioning to electric buses; Delhi aims to electrify 80 per cent of its fleet with 8,000 electric buses planned by 2025-26. Bogota introduced 172 new electric buses to serve 30,000 commuters daily.

Active Mobility: Paris is implementing a plan to be 100  per cent  bikeable by 2026. Similarly, Guadalajara and Quito have expanded cycle lanes significantly, with Quito seeing a 200  per cent increase in bike trips. Industrial and Residential Regulations

Phasing Out Solid Fuels:  Beijing successfully reduced PM2.5 levels by 36 per cent in five years by replacing coal-fired boilers with natural gas or electricity and closing coal power plants. Warsaw established a ban on coal burning starting in 2023.

Industrial Emission Controls

India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has mandated that thousands of polluting industrial units install Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) by the end of 2025 to ensure year-round compliance. Phasing Out Solid Fuels: Beijing successfully reduced PM2.5 levels by 36 per cent in five years by replacing coal-fired boilers with natural gas or electricity and closing coal power plants. Warsaw established a ban on coal burning starting in 2023.

Industrial Emission Controls: India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has mandated that thousands of polluting industrial units install Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) by the end of 2025 to ensure year-round compliance.

Innovative Urban Planning

Superblocks and Pedestrian Zones: Barcelona uses the ‘Superblock’ model to reclaim streets from cars for pedestrians and green space. Zurich has capped parking spaces and increased car-free areas to prioritize tram lines.

Barcelona uses the ‘Superblock’ model to reclaim streets from cars for pedestrians and green space. Zurich has capped parking spaces and increased car-free areas to prioritise

tram lines.

High-Density Monitoring: Warsaw operates one of Europe’s largest sensor networks with 165 sensors to track pollution sources in real-time. Quezon City in the Philippines now has the country’s largest monitoring network to provide data-driven policy insights.

Waste Management: Cities like Jambi City (Indonesia) have banned waste burning and implemented methane-capture plans to prevent toxic smog from landfills. Emergency Response Frameworks Graded Response Action Plans (GRAP): Cities like Delhi use tiered response systems that automatically trigger construction bans, school closures, and truck entry restrictions when AQI levels reach ‘severe’ categories.

(The writer is a former Professor of Computer Science at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, BITS Pilani, and JNU, and a former scientist at DRDO and DST. He has contributed to technology development in India and abroad for over 45 years, spanning academia, R&D, and industry)