Dozens of people were detained by police during a rare protest at the iconic India Gate in New Delhi, calling for urgent action to combat the city’s annual air pollution crisis.
The demonstration, attended by people of all ages, saw protesters holding banners and chanting slogans before authorities moved in. One demonstrator, Neha, wearing a mask, said, “We have only one problem, and that is clean air. This issue has been ongoing for years, yet no action is being taken.”
Visuals showed police escorting protesters onto buses, with banners reading “Breathing is killing us” and slogans demanding the right to clean air.
Delhi’s air quality index stood at 345 on the day of the protest, categorised as “very poor,” far above the “good” range of 0–50, though below “severe” (401–500), according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Police said the area was not a designated protest site and urged people to vacate, while opposition leaders criticised the crackdown. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on X, “The right to clean air is a basic human right. Why are citizens peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals?”
Delhi’s environment minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, stated that the government would continue efforts to reduce pollution. Despite last month’s cloud-seeding attempts to trigger rain, the measures failed to improve air quality.
Each winter, the region suffers from dense haze as cold air traps dust, vehicle emissions, and smoke, causing widespread respiratory illness.— Reuters
