The air feels as though it is suffocating the life out of you as the sun rises. On the AQI index, Delhi's air quality has been noted as "very poor" for more than 150 days in 2024. It begs the question: How long can a city or nation endure, when it is essentially breathing its own death?

Because, though Delhi might be the lead act, this crisis is fast turning into a national one. Cities like Varanasi, Muzaffarpur and Kanpur record air quality that either matches or even surpasses the notorious Delhi fog. When you stop to consider it, what is happening in Delhi is a warning of a national tragedy playing out right in front of us.

Walking a tightrope between a health catastrophe and a social breakdown is a place like Kanpur, where PM2.5 levels have been routinely recorded over 300 µg/m³ (more than 10 times the WHO's acceptable limit). Should national-level counter measures not be taken now, the nation could choke.

Grim Stats

India's air pollution is no longer a minor annoyance; it poses a public health emergency. A startling statistic reflecting a silent, invisible murderer, the WHO estimates that air pollution causes around 1.7 million premature deaths in India yearly. Why, though, does it strike so forcefully here?

One in every three Delhi youngsters exhibits symptoms of permanent lung impairment, according to research. Now breathing contaminated air in their early years, these youngsters will be adults with reduced health, stuck in a cycle of poor living quality and early mortality.

Then there are the smaller cities. Varanasi often sees AQI levels exceeding the WHO's advised limits. These are not one-off spikes — they are part of a rising trend.

Delhi might feel like the epicentre, but this narrative is one that is expanding, with rural communities and smaller cities silently suffering from industrialisation, unchecked pollution and inadequate governance. How can we make sure these locations avoid turning into the next Delhi? More essential still, how can we stop Delhi from spiraling downhill?

Beyond mere numbers, there are important unresolved issues that still demand attention. And with regard to the social fabric? What does a polluted air cost in terms of human relationships and society in general?

Pollution Costs

Although we know the figures — US$ 95 billion in lost productivity yearly from air pollution — what does this truly mean?

"The economic impact of air pollution isn't just about direct losses in production," says Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) CEO Arunabha Ghosh. It is about future potential — human capital, undermined before it can blossom completely.

The surface is the lost production, particularly from diseases including respiratory ailments and cardiovascular conditions. The damage becomes even more severe, though, when one considers how it compromises public health infrastructure, aggravates poverty, and drives government healthcare expenditure. Still, the most heartbreaking feature is the vulnerable groups carrying most of the burden.

Executive director of ActionAid India, Sandeep Chachra, says, "The marginalised communities — those living in informal settlements or rural areas — don't have the luxury of moving to cleaner environments." To them, the reality is unavoidable. Often residing near major highways or industrial centres, these are the same people who breathe pollutants daily, without much control.

The impoverished cannot even afford to migrate to better areas, unlike rich urbanites who can purchase air purifiers and medical treatments. How expensive is this discrepancy? The World Bank's collaborative study with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) indicates that lower-income groups bear more of the burden of air pollution, aggravating the disparity in wealth.

Demographics & Economic Vulnerability

India's demographic composition, made up of an aging group and a rising youthful population, makes it especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. Particularly sensitive are children with developing lungs and the elderly with diminishing health.

Beyond this, though, there is a size question. India's variety — from rural villages to megacities — means that air pollution affects no one equally. Different areas react differently to pollution; hence, not everyone is ready for the progressively regular episodes of bad air quality.

The worst-hit areas are those where industrialisation is flourishing free from any control. Rising industrial clusters in cities like Kanpur now weigh fast urbanisation with no protection in place. Even historically better off cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad are starting to display concerning patterns.

According to a recent study, Bengaluru's PM2.5 levels had risen by 20 per cent over the past 10 years, raising questions about areas formerly thought of as havens of acceptable air quality now being headed into a smog-filled sky. This is a structural issue, not only one related to a few cities.

How Global Giants Are Clearing Their Air

Looking overseas, there are success tales with promise as well as teachings. One perfect illustration is Beijing's battle with air pollution. Strict policies implemented by the Chinese capital in 2013 to lower its smog were followed by over 35 per cent drop in PM2.5 levels by 2017. They achieved this by means of strict emission regulations, more green areas and encouragement of electric cars.

Another success story comes from London, where since its introduction the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), automobile pollution has lowered drastically. Together, they illustrate how well-organised, large-scale activities can produce actual effects.

With projects like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which seeks to lower PM2.5 levels by 20-30 per cent by 2024, India too has made progress. But as Ghosh notes, "NCAP is a good start, but we need urgent, large-scale implementation."

The difficulty in India is not in finding answers, but the political will to see them through, particularly in a nation where local government systems sometimes fall short in properly enforcing rules.

An Actionable Path Towards A Breathable Future

Though it won't be simple or fast, the road to better air is not unattainable. Pollution may be greatly lowered right away by tougher emission rules, more support of electric cars, and improved urban garbage management. India has to eventually rethink its urbanisation strategy, shifting from polluting businesses toward sustainable city design and renewable energy.

The crucial question is, however, can India — with its demographic and economic weaknesses — become the paradigm for clean air in the coming decade? With fast-expanding cities and more than a billion citizens, can a nation find a way to reconcile industrial progress with air quality? The secret is appreciating the scope of the issue and acting forcefully. This is about building a new governance system that gives clean air top priority at all levels, not only about technological answers.

From Crisis To Collective Action

India's air quality crisis calls for recognition that this problem cannot be solved alone. The environmental load is shared and cuts beyond state boundaries and city bounds. India has to rise to the challenge of this national issue by applying both domestic remedies and international lessons to build an air quality management system fit for all. Still unresolved is whether India will respond in time or wait until every breath turns into a battle.

If we act now, the solutions are within our reach.

(This was Part 2 of a 4-part series on air pollution. Read Part 1 here. Part 3 will deal with India's institutional and legal frameworks to tackle the problem)