As Delhi chokes on toxic air during its annual health crisis, those in power remain indifferent. The Air Quality Index has hit catastrophic levels, leaving residents imprisoned in their homes, tethered to air purifiers, while those without such privileges endure unimaginable suffering. Outdoor activities are impossible, children miss school, and the elderly are denied basic freedoms like a walk in the park.
The air in Delhi has become a grave equalizer, exposing inequalities as the wealthy escape with filters in their homes, cars, and offices while the less fortunate bear the full brunt of the "gas chamber." Experts equate a day outdoors to smoking five packets of cigarettes, even for non-smokers.
Apathy at the Top
Neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), despite their constant bickering, have prioritized tackling this crisis. Instead, both parties exploit the city’s vulnerability for votes. Trees are felled, green spaces are sacrificed, and slums proliferate under the guise of "regularization," ensuring new voter bases ahead of elections.
Infrastructure Dystopia
Delhi is plagued by crumbling roads, uncollected garbage, deadly traffic violations, and erratic water and electricity supplies. The very citizens who pay steep taxes are left to navigate this dystopia, with no accountability from their leaders. While Lutyens' Delhi remains a green, well-maintained oasis, its privilege is reserved for politicians who disregard the rest of the city.
Crop Burning and Crackers
The air emergency is worsened by two predictable factors: stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, and unchecked firecracker use during Diwali. Politicians refuse to act decisively against these issues, fearing backlash from farmers and religious groups.
Ignored Warnings, Dire Consequences
Global publications like The Guardian and The New York Times report on Delhi’s air crisis, but Indian media largely turns a blind eye. As winter approaches, a season once cherished by Delhiites now signals the onset of respiratory hell.
The True Cost
The real victims are children, whose health and future are compromised by collective negligence. While some residents abandon the city for cleaner pastures, those left behind remain trapped in a deteriorating environment.
Until voters demand accountability on health and environmental issues instead of falling prey to divisive politics, Delhi’s descent into an unlivable urban nightmare will continue.
