Introduction

This piece was prompted by a recent personal experience from a visit to Delhi, as well as the headline news about the toxic nature of air pollution there. The alarm bells were ringing as the quality of air is going to further turn severe by the end of December 2025. If anybody is familiar with Delhi has heard of the acronym DDA, which stands for Delhi Development Authority, but under the current circumstances this acronym is better suited for Delhi’s Deadly Air. Delhi is gasping for clean air while the residents and administration is conducting their business as usual, instead of being up in arms.

Delhi’s Dismal Pollution Portrait

The air quality index in the Delhi region, home to 30 million people, has been in the "severe" category for the past few days, often crossing the 450-mark. The air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category, with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 358, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). For comparison purposes it should be noted that readings below 50 are considered as signs of good air quality. In addition, shallow fog in parts of the city worsened visibility that affected flights and trains. The visibility is so poor that at Palam airport it was 150 meters. This prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to invoke stage four, the highest level, of the graded response action plan for Delhi and surrounding areas on Saturday December 20, 2025.

The local government has announced that all government and private sector offices will operate with 50% attendance, and rest remoting in from their homes. Even the schools were forced to impose hybrid schooling. The entry of older diesel trucks was banned into the city, and all construction activity was brought to standstill. Even the international flights operations have been impacted by the smog there. On December 16, 2025, the government enforced strict anti-pollution measures for vehicles in the city, banning vehicles that were not compliant with the latest emission control standards.

This is not an isolated case of air pollution in Delhi, which has become an entrenched resident guest, more so during the winter months. The medical professionals and residents of Delhi has labeled its air as “gas chamber.” The unfortunate part of this whole scenario is that Delhi’s air is not getting any cleaner, and it garners limelight only during winter months when fog envelops and visibility becomes poor. What makes Delhi stand out is the severity, persistence, and scale of its smog and pollution, while only a limited improvement has been achieved despite years of emergency responses. The air pollution is cutting into life quality, life expectancy, higher medical bills, as well as eroding work efficiencies. What we need are sustained and effective remedial measures.

Need for Effective  Remedial Measures

The desperate situation which is causing untold health related issues needs desperate remedial measures. The number of deaths that can be attributed to the poor quality of air are not registered because of lack of a definition of what qualifies as its cause. What about the chronic health related issues because of the dismal breathing air?

If a city like Beijing, China which was crowned as the world’s smog capital can change its air quality then we have a ready blueprint available which can be custom tailored to meet the local conditions and rigorously implemented. Beijing’s efforts starting from 2005 have made a lasting impact, showing a dramatic 35 percent improvement in highly polluted areas by 2017. Some of the measures implemented were:

• Establishment of an early warning and emergency response system
• Better regulation of polluting activities
• Relocation of factories away from populated areas
• Incentives for farmers to discourage agricultural stubble burning
• Limiting construction related emissions
• Deployment of Air pollution control equipment at factories to minimize emissions
• Better cross-ordination between agencies and state and central administration
• Rigorous implementation of stipulations

Besides these measures the chaotic flow of traffic, patchwork development planning and its impact on choking of roads will additionally have to been studied to find the optimal solution. With so many specialized institutions located in and around Delhi, they can take this challenge and come with workable solutions.

The situation is desperate, but it is reversable provided it is made a national priority. Afterall being the capital of the nation it is the first show window of the nation. We have not done a good job of making it a presentable show piece.   

Conclusion  

Breathable air is a basic need, and residents, departments, elected officials and administration have to make it a priority. The higher ups and country’s leaders should not forget that they get to breathe the same air as the poor and helpless souls. They will also suffer the same health effects as everyone else. Let us start treating air quality as a systems problem, not an annual emergency. If you are going to live in Delhi do something, to change “Delhi’s Deadly Air” – DDA. Blue skies and clean air should not become a privilege to be enjoyed on the Swiss Alps alone.

Image (c) istock.com