The Crux of Delhi’s Air Pollution Crisis: B S Vohra, Environment Activist

The Crux of Delhi’s Air Pollution Crisis

Delhi’s air pollution crisis demands attention through two equally important and inseparable aspects: mitigation of pollution and saving precious lives. Treating one as more important than the other weakens the response. In a city where toxic air regularly exceeds safe limits, policy and action must move on both tracks at the same time.

Mitigation addresses the root causes of air pollution. It is the long-term solution that ensures future generations can breathe safely. In Delhi, major contributors include vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, coal-based power, and seasonal stubble burning in neighboring states. Reducing pollution at the source requires structural change: cleaner fuels, electric public transport, strict emission norms, dust control at construction sites, and sustainable farming practices. Urban planning must reduce congestion and increase green spaces, while industries must be held accountable through continuous monitoring and penalties. Mitigation is slow, complex, and politically challenging, but without it, Delhi will remain trapped in a cycle of recurring pollution emergencies.

However, mitigation alone does not save lives in the present. Pollution levels in Delhi often reach hazardous levels where health damage occurs immediately. This brings us to the second equally vital aspect: protecting people and saving lives right now. Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a public health emergency. Children, the elderly, outdoor workers, and those with heart or lung disease suffer the most. When air quality turns severe, hospitals fill with patients facing asthma attacks, heart stress, and respiratory infections. Many deaths linked to pollution are preventable with timely protection and healthcare access.

Saving lives requires emergency-style responses. High-pollution days should trigger health alerts, school closures, work-from-home advisories, temporary lock downs, and traffic restrictions. Hospitals must be prepared with adequate staff and resources, and treatment for pollution-related illness should be affordable or free during critical periods. Protective measures such as N95 masks, clean indoor air in schools and public buildings, and clear public guidance can significantly reduce harm. Clean-air shelters and indoor air filtration can provide relief in the worst-hit neighborhoods.

The central truth is this: people cannot be asked to sacrifice their health today in the hope of cleaner air tomorrow. At the same time, temporary protection without long-term mitigation only postpones the crisis. Delhi’s approach must recognize that every year of delay costs lives, productivity, and dignity.

Therefore, mitigation and life-saving measures must carry equal weight in planning, funding, and enforcement. Success should be measured not only by reduced pollution levels in the future, but also by fewer hospitalizations and deaths today. Clean air is a right, but until it is achieved, protecting human life must remain just as urgent.

Delhi does not have the luxury of choosing between cleaner air and saving lives. It must do both, together, immediately, and consistently. You cannot ask people to wait to breathe while mitigation slowly works. And you cannot save lives permanently without cutting pollution at its source.

Written by:

B S Vohra, Environment Activist, President, East Delhi RWAs Joint Front