Delhi protests against pollution: ‘We have come to beg the govt for clean air’

Residents came together on Tuesday to once again protest against the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, demanding immediate action from the authorities. Organised by environmentalists, university students and other concerned citizens, the protest at Jantar Mantar took place on a day when the city woke up to an AQI of 300 – a level classified as “very poor.”

Speaking to Newslaundry, Purnima, a protester, said, "Today, every third child in Delhi is suffering from lung disease. I have come here not for myself but for my children. If we cannot provide clean air to our children today, what will our future look like?"

A student protester, meanwhile, told us, “We have come to beg the government for clean air. Earlier, people protested for food and clothing, but today we have to protest to breathe. We’ll earn our food and clothing, but the government must at least give us clean air.” 

The last time protests against air pollution in Delhi took place earlier this month, the Delhi Police detained dozens of people.

On Monday, the Supreme Court said it would not issue a year-round blanket ban on construction in the Delhi-NCR region in view of deteriorating air quality, noting that it’s crucial to balance environmental protection with development needs. However, it directed the Union government to file an affidavit detailing the nature and quality of the equipment it uses to assess the reliability of Delhi’s air-quality monitoring systems.

Although Stage 3 of the government’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is currently in force, Delhi’s air quality remains in the ‘very poor’ category, leaving residents with breathing problems, coughs and eye irritation.

We spoke to protesters about their problems and their demands from the government. 

Watch.