Choking on Apathy

Delhi, so often regarded as the heart, soul and epicentre of all law in India, has been betrayed by the lawmakers of the land themselves. Once the “Oh so blue” skies are nowhere to be seen, having left behind a dense, thick layer of smoke, dust and particulate matter. The question remains, why do we continue to suffer? In 2025, lakhs of students, including ourselves, will be aiming for a move to Delhi, with hopes of a better career, a better future, but is it really there? Most people that we meet ask us whether we’re willing to sacrifice our lungs, heart, and quality of life for money, but we wonder, why should we? Why do I, you, us all even have to do so? Why are the elected representatives silent? Why are we, as a collective, unresponsive to the silent killer that pollution really is? “AQI.com” as on May 2, 2025, showed the AQI as 118, which depicts the average AQI of the capital throughout the year with the number crossing well over multiple hundreds in November. Millionaire tech influencer and entrepreneur, Bryan Johnson, walked right out of the Nikhil Kamath Podcast citing “Unbearable AQI” in Mumbai. According to the Times of India, “During his podcast appearance, Johnson was exposed to an AQI of 130 and PM2.5 levels at 75 µg/m³.” If that was his reaction to a fraction of what Delhiites face every day, why are we, the humans of Delhi, silent? Excess PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5 and higher AQI readings directly increase the chances of getting various cancers, heart diseases, reproductive harms and birth-defects. Even then, we continue to joke. “Might as well have a cigarette, am I right”? Wrong. Do we not owe it to ourselves, our families to not be so naïve as to joke about us and our family’s future? Do we not owe it to our future generations to leave more than what was given to us? Lawmakers of both the Centre and the Union Territory of Delhi must gather their vast resources and utilise it in solving this new-age crisis. Executive decisions such as the “Odd-Even Rule” albeit steps in the right direction, are definitely not a one-stop solution to curbing air pollution.

Thus, it is the responsibility of our elected officials—the very people tasked with protecting the public interest—to lead a complex, long-term, and scientifically supported approach. It requires decisive action, unwavering commitment, and a willingness to make politically difficult decisions for the greater good of people. Their expected role goes beyond rhetoric and token gestures. What’s involved here? The first is a complete revision and strict implementation of industry and vehicle emission standards. The goal here must be to promote responsible growth—not the growth that compromises public health—rather than to cripple economic activity. This entails funding and encouraging the switch to cleaner fuels and electric mobility for the whole fleet of public transport, not just private automobiles. Unlike the current commotion and haze, picture a Delhi where cars and buses travel through the streets in silence and without emitting any emissions.

Second, the cause of green infrastructure needs to be promoted by lawmakers. To do this, the city’s green space must be rapidly increased, urban forests must be established, and existing green spaces must be shielded from the unchecked growth of unplanned urbanisation. It entails spending money on innovations like smog towers as part of a larger strategy rather than as stand-alone solutions. Additionally, it is crucial to have a strong, open, and transparent air quality monitoring system. For people to be continuously conscious of the air they breathe and to be able to hold authorities responsible, we need real-time data from a dense network of sensors, not just a few chosen locations.

The months that follow, which culminate in the infamous winter season, are vital. We are in a vulnerable moment of opportunity right now. Summer and monsoon months’ marginally lower AQI frequently leads to a risky complacency. Before the pollution peaks, this is the exact moment for preventative action rather than reactive panic. What makes these months so crucial? The degree of the “airpocalypse” that awaits us starting in October will be directly influenced by the decisions made today, or not. An important factor in Delhi’s winter problem is stubble burning in nearby states, which must be addressed at its source by giving farmers sustainable and workable alternatives now, rather than after the fields are already on fire. Prior to the quiet, cool winter air trapping pollutants near the ground, construction activities, a significant source of particulate matter, must be strictly controlled to ensure adherence to dust control regulations.

Unavoidably, outside influences will be important, and their effects will depend on how prepared we are—or are not. We have little or no control over meteorological factors like temperature inversions, wind direction and speed, and seasonal weather patterns. It is difficult to comprehend these trends and predict how they will affect air quality. The most severe consequences can be lessened by combining an early warning system with a predetermined set of emergency response procedures (GRAP, or Graded Response Action Plan, but with better execution and less last-minute rushing). An ongoing problem in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh is the pollution that comes from burning crops. In order to address this, the Central government must lead interstate cooperation with an emphasis on long-term solutions such as crop diversification, subsidies for happy seeders and other environmentally friendly agricultural equipment, and the establishment of a market for crop residue. Giving farmers the tools they need to contribute to the solution is more important than merely punishing them.

Additionally, regional and global climatic patterns also play a role. Cleanup of the atmosphere may be impacted by variations in monsoon intensity or withdrawal schedules. The particulate load is also increased by the growing frequency of dust storms that originate in arid areas to the west. Despite being bigger, more intricate problems, these highlight how interrelated environmental issues are and why a comprehensive strategy is required.

Our lawmakers’ perceived inaction and silence are unacceptable. It is a human issue, not a partisan one. At risk are millions of people’s health, a generation’s future, and our capital city’s habitability. We need leaders who will act with the urgency and resolve that this crisis requires, who will follow the science, and who will put political expediency aside. The time for half-measures and finger-pointing is over. Clean air is something that Delhi’s residents and all of India deserve. It is a fundamental right, and our legislators have an obligation to protect it. Their dedication will be put to the test over the course of the next few months. Will they take decisive action to clear the air or will they let Delhi succumb to another winter of unrest? It is their decision and their duty. It is our responsibility as citizens to make sure that the noise of inaction is drowned out by our voices calling for clean air.

Views expressed are personal