Delhi Residents Protest at India Gate Amid Worsening Air Pollution Crisis
India Gate rally demands action as pollution peaks.
Hundreds of furious Delhi residents, including parents with coughing children and masked environmental activists, gathered at India Gate on Sunday to protest the capital’s worsening air pollution crisis. They demanded immediate meetings with elected officials and long-term solutions as the Air Quality Index surged to 391—the season’s worst—before slightly easing. Police quickly detained several protesters, stating that India Gate is not a permitted demonstration site and that the action was necessary to maintain security and public order.
By 4 p.m., the citywide AQI remained in the “very poor” category at 370, according to Central Pollution Control Board data from 38 monitoring stations. Hotspots recorded severe levels: Punjabi Bagh at 425, Bawana at 410, Jahangirpuri at 401, and Nehru Nagar and Wazirpur at 400. PM2.5 particles dominated as the primary pollutant, while neighboring NCR areas struggled—Noida at 354, Ghaziabad at 345, and Greater Noida at 340—all classified as “very poor.”
Protesters condemned ineffective measures like water sprinkling on roads and failed cloud seeding attempts. “We sought an appointment with the Chief Minister but were denied. Children are suffering, hospitals are full, yet no real data or policy is shared,” said activist Bhavreen Khandari. The Decision Support System reported transport as the top contributor at 20%, with stubble burning adding just 5%, despite 438 farm fires detected across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh the previous day.
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The Air Quality Early Warning System predicts “very poor” conditions persisting for several days, fueled by lingering Diwali smoke and calm winds. With overnight temperatures dropping to 11.7°C—near the season’s lowest—and shallow fog forecast for Monday, visibility and health risks are expected to intensify, prompting concerns over school closures and emergency care.
As police cleared the site and processed detainees, remaining demonstrators vowed to escalate pressure through legal challenges and public campaigns. The protest underscored a growing public demand for accountability and permanent anti-pollution strategies in a city trapped in its annual winter smog emergency.
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