CAPITAL'S PUNISHMENT

DELHI'S AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM, SO FAR, HAS SEEN 'SOLUTIONS' THAT HAVE HAD LITTLE IMPACT. EXPERTS SAY IT IS TIME TO TACKLE THE ISSUE AT ITS SOURCE

- BY SHUBHANGI SHAH

This year, Delhi's fight against pollution has seen everything: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s “AQI is a temperature” gaffe, the AAP’s Santa-fainting skit, protesters being sent to police custody, an unsuccessful cloud seeding experiment, talks of AI-enabled pollution management and water sprinkling wherever one looks. Everything—except breathable air.

The air, meanwhile, remains ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’—if not ‘severe’—its smell smoky and taste metallic, with the air quality index (AQI) even hitting the cap of 500, posing a serious health risk.

The BJP government in Delhi had allocated ₹300 crore in the 2025-2026 budget to curb pollution, and had earlier approved a dust-control proposal, which is set to cost ₹2,388 crore over the next decade. This is only the latest in a long line of plans rolled out by successive governments—from expanding metro networks to the more cosmetic odd-even rule under the AAP. Yet little has changed on the ground, prompting a question: Are the solutions part of the problem?

WHICH NUMBER TO TRUST?

There was a time when winter conversations revolved around the chill—how biting it was, but also a reward: a few months meant for being outdoors, exercising, picnicking, breathing easier in an otherwise tropical climate. But that winter no longer exists.

Today, stepping out during these months can itself be a health hazard. The conversations, meanwhile, have shifted—from the chill in the air to the air itself.

For instance, if you live in Delhi NCR, chances are you check the AQI at least once a day. AQI turns complex data on pollutants like PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres), PM10, ozone and carbon monoxide into a single number and category, making it easy for the public to understand local air quality. What you see, however, depends heavily on which monitor you refer to.