Tag: Delhi smog

Delhi Haze Gives Me Wheezing Breath Inflamed Eyes

‘Delhi Haze Gives Me Wheezing Breath, Inflamed Eyes, Sore Throat’

By LokMarg

Sheela Singh, a Delhi resident, expresses her anguish and helplessness over the polluted air and smog that engulfs Delhi every winter. Her story:

As the haze settles back over Delhi, a familiar dread washes over me. I am 69 years old. For as long as I can remember, Delhi has been my home, but these last few years, I feel like the very air that I once breathed so freely has turned against me. From October to January, it’s the worst. The city I love becomes a gas chamber, and I’m left struggling to do something as basic as breathing.

I have had asthma for years, but it is the pollution that has made things unbearable. The moment I step outside, the smog hits me. It’s like someone is squeezing my lungs, making it nearly impossible to breathe. My chest feels heavy, my throat itches, and there’s a constant wheeze in my breath. Even walking a few steps makes me stop to catch my breath. It’s not living—it’s just surviving.

I spend most of my time indoors during these months, but even inside, the air isn’t clean. We close the windows, we run air purifiers, but it’s never enough. The pollution still seeps in. I rely on my inhaler far too often, and it’s frightening to think that this might become the norm for me.

What really scares me, though, is how this isn’t just about me. My granddaughter is only 10 years old, and I worry constantly about what kind of future she will have if things don’t change. She should be outside playing, breathing clean air, but instead, she’s trapped inside with me, unable to enjoy her childhood. What kind of world are we leaving for her? Sometimes I lie awake at night, not just because I can’t breathe, but because I can’t shake the worry for her future.

ALSO READ: I Wish To Visit Delhi For Diwali But Smog Scares Me

The worst part is that every year, the same thing happens. The government talks, and politicians point fingers, but nothing really changes. Every time the air gets worse, we hear about stubble burning or vehicle emissions, but where are the real solutions? Just today, I read a report from the ex-director of AIIMS in Delhi, and what he said made my blood run cold. He said more people might die from air pollution than from COVID-19. Can you imagine? A pandemic that brought the world to its knees, and yet the air we breathe could be even deadlier.

It’s not just Delhi anymore either. The entire NCR region is now choking, and even the areas connected to it are feeling the effects. The smoke from stubble burning travels miles, and every year we face the same problem. There’s so much talk, but where’s the action? Why is nothing being done to fix this? Why are we still trapped in this cycle of blame and inaction?

I’m tired. I’m tired of living like this, constantly worrying about whether today’s air will be too dangerous to breathe. I’m tired of being afraid to step outside. And most of all, I’m tired of watching my granddaughter grow up in a world where clean air is becoming a luxury, not a right.

I remember a time when things weren’t this bad. When Delhi was still a city I could enjoy it without fear. Now, it feels like I’m suffocating in the place I’ve called home for so long. I don’t want to leave, but sometimes I wonder how much longer I can go on like this. How much more can my lungs take?

All I want is for things to change—for my granddaughter to grow up in a world where she can run around outside without worrying about what she’s breathing. But until that happens, I’ll keep fighting this battle with every breath I take, hoping that someday, the haze will finally lift.

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

As told to Deepti Sharma

I Left Delhi To Save My Family From Chronic Pollution

‘I Left Delhi To Protect My Family From Chronic Pollution Sickness’

By LokMarg

Nida Fatima Siddiqui, a media professional, made the tough decision to leave Delhi’s smog behind, seeking cleaner air and a healthier future for her family. She shares her story:

Delhi is in the news again for pollution, and as a former resident of Delhi-NCR, I feel quite relieved that I no longer live there. My husband, daughter and I decided to move to Bangalore in October 2022, and pollution was a major factor in our decision, though there were other considerations too.

Personally, I suffered a lot during the smog months from October to January. While I thankfully don’t have any health or lung issues, I coughed throughout these months every year. Leaving Delhi-NCR was bittersweet because my parents still live there, and for four years, I stayed in the same housing society as them. It was a tough decision. 

Before 2022, I had lived in Delhi for 18 years, and pollution was never a significant issue until 2014. I remember traveling across the city without ever experiencing any respiratory problems. But from 2015 onwards, it became a persistent issue. In late 2016, my office shift in Noida ended around 6.30 pm and I used to travel during peak rush hour in October. That was the first time that I developed bronchitis, which lingered for a month. The cough returned every year after that, in the same month. My daughter was born in February, and in the months leading up to her birth, I had a chronic cough—it was a difficult time.

I realised that it was more than just pollution from cars or construction in Delhi-NCR—the smog crisis was also caused by stubble-burning in neighbouring states. Farmers in Haryana and Punjab burn rice stubble in October because, under a law to conserve water in these states, the crop cycle was shifted. After harvesting paddy, the farmers thus have little time to prepare their fields for the next crop, wheat. With just about three weeks available, they resort to burning stubble to clean the fields fast.

ALSO READ: ‘I’m A Pollution Refugee, Forced To Migrate From Delhi’

I do not see this issue getting resolved anytime soon, even if all the three governments came together to address it. The problem is worsened by traffic pollution, construction activities, weather/wind pattern and firecrackers—the last of these fuel the crisis but only for a short while. It’s the larger issue of multiple factors causing the persistent smog. Moreover, Delhi’s weather is either too hot or too humid, barring the short winter. The autumn months, when you want to enjoy the outdoors, are plagued by pollution, which keeps you inside. That leaves only February and March as months when it’s comfortable to step outside. Being an outdoorsy person, I found myself confined to the house either with an air conditioner or an air purifier.

In 2022, we decided we didn’t want our child to grow up facing the same trauma. I also believe our move was well-timed. It’s easier to relocate when you’re younger and have a small family. It’s sad, though, to leave behind a place you once called home for something as man-made as pollution. Some might say that Bangalore has its own share of problems, like traffic and pollution, but compared to Delhi, it’s much better. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is far superior, and most of the year, Bangalore stays in the green zone. In fact, I haven’t coughed in the past two years, which reassures me that our decision to move was the right one. 

I am also trying to persuade my parents to leave Delhi-NCR and move south, given their age and the escalating pollution crisis. I don’t mean to be blunt for those still living there, including my parents, but I don’t see this pollution issue being resolved anytime soon. It’s going to take a coordinated effort from the governments involved, and that doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

As told to Mamta Sharma

Chronic Chest Congestion

‘I Suffer From Chronic Chest Congestion Due To Delhi Air’

By LokMarg Publishing

Mohd Kayam, a security guard in Delhi-NCR is living with chest congestion and cough. Medicines are a staple for him. More than himself, he is worried about his children, who are always suffering from cold and cough. He wonders if we can ever get our blue skies back

I clearly remember as kids, we used to count stars while sleeping on the terrace of our house in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Now, a shroud of haze blankets the beautiful spread of stars that the universe laid out for us. I don’t remember when was the last time I saw stars like those. I am sure not many people in Delhi-NCR can recall it either. I feel sorry for the generation born now — would they know of stars only through nursery rhymes?

Can we ever get our blue skies back? I am a security guard. Every day, I am exposed to polluted air and harsh weather. As a precaution, I wear a mask, but I don’t know if it is actually of any use. After completing my 12-hours, when I go back home, wash my face and rinse my mouth, the sink turns black. Over the years, my health has deteriorated. It takes an effort to breathe. My chest is always congested and medicines have become a staple.

I have visited Lal Bahadur Hospital and local doctors in the past for treatment. What worries me the most is the health of my children. Children now have a compromised immunity. Air pollution is killing children and we are helpless. I have noticed that people living in high-rise apartments have stopped sending their kids to play in the open.

Air pollution has snatched away their childhood. It was never like this when we were young. We used to spend hours playing in the ground and even in mud. Smog has forced parents to keep their kids locked inside their homes. Parks, tennis and badminton courts are lying vacant. Only some senior citizens come for walks. It is just not about Delhi, people living in other parts of the country are also complaining of pollution-related issues. The situation is apocalyptic and I do not know if we have the power or capability to reverse the damage that has already been done. Companies are minting money selling masks and purifiers and the time is not too far when we will have to pay for clean air.