Delhi-NCR continues to choke under a thick blanket of smog, prompting citizens to demand that authorities declare a Public Health Emergency. For several days, residents have been struggling with breathlessness, eye irritation, headaches and other pollution-linked ailments.
Social Media Flooded With Personal Accounts of Suffering
Thousands of people across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram are posting their experiences online, highlighting how hazardous air quality has severely impacted day-to-day life. Numerous online petitions have also surfaced, urging the government to impose emergency measures.
One such petition, filed by Dhruv Dubey, calls the situation “a crisis beyond seasonal pollution.”
He writes: “My family and millions of others are suffering. It is now impossible to live normally. The impact is both physical and mental. Temporary measures won’t work—it’s a Health Emergency.”
What Citizens Are Demanding
Petitions and social media discussions highlight several urgent demands, including:
- A 7-day Public Health Emergency with restrictions similar to a short-term lockdown
- Immediate halt on all construction activities
- Mandatory odd-even rule and Work From Home (WFH)
- Real-time pollution data with source tracking on public dashboards
- Removal of visibly polluting vehicles, regulation of trucks
- Free bus travel for essential workers; increased metro frequency
- Zero tolerance for stubble burning with rapid response fire teams and satellite monitoring
- Strict FIRs, challans, and jail terms for offenders
- Clear accountability for industries with mandatory third-party audits
- Free N95 masks for hospitals, schools, and police personnel
- Free public nebulizer clinics
- Creation of an Emergency Pollution Penalty Fund to be used for farmer subsidies, public air shelters, and mass mask distribution
Residents Express Growing Fear
Doctors and professionals shared their distress:
- Dr. Anjali Mehta (ENT Specialist):
“My father is 86, an Army veteran. He has always lived a healthy lifestyle but is now forced to change his routine because of the pollution. The government must act.” - Warrior Moms (Environment Collective):
“It’s suffocating. Data clearly shows stubble burning is not the issue right now—Delhi’s own emissions, garbage fires, domestic pollution, heat and vehicles are the primary sources.”
Voices on X (Twitter)
- Dr. Ritesh Malik, Founder, Innov8:
“Even attending a meeting now requires courage. The situation is frightening.” - Manu Kumar Jain, Tech Entrepreneur:
“I came for meetings. This pollution is unbearable. I’m taking an early flight back.”
AQI Remains Hazardous — No Relief in Sight
The smog is expected to persist for the next few days. Authorities have advised residents to wear masks outdoors and reduce outdoor activities.
According to CPCB’s latest bulletin, Friday’s AQI readings were:
- Delhi: 364
- Faridabad: 238
- Ghaziabad: 422
- Greater Noida: 353
- Gurugram: 287
- Noida: 394
When Is a Health Emergency Declared?
A Health Emergency is declared when air quality becomes “severely hazardous to human health.”
Under GRAP-4, AQI above 450 is considered toxic enough to activate the strictest restrictions. The authority to enforce GRAP-4 lies with:
- Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
- Delhi Government
- Environment Ministry
The objective of declaring a Health Emergency is to reduce public exposure and prevent severe health damage.
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