Delhi’s air has turned toxic again this winter, and children are bearing the brunt of the crisis. Nearly four out of five households in the region report at least one family member falling ill in recent weeks, and clinics are crowded with young patients coughing, wheezing, or struggling to breathe.
Northern India sees this pattern every year. As temperatures drop to single digits in November and December, the region’s Air Quality Index soars from moderate levels to “severe.” Cold, stagnant air traps pollution from vehicles, factories, and seasonal crop burning, forming a dense haze that lingers for weeks. In Delhi, AQI readings often climb past 400 ? more than 20 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit and dangerous even for healthy people. Many residents now refer to late autumn and winter simply as “pollution season.”
The suffocating smog has triggered protests across the capital, with students and residents wearing gas masks and holding signs that read “We Can’t Breathe.” Although the government has ordered emergency measures, including construction bans and vehicle restrictions, it has offered little relief. Doctors urge children to stay indoors on the worst days and wear N95 masks outside, but families fear the situation is becoming unlivable.