Everyone Here is a Smoker, Even Those Who Never Touched a Cigarette

Delhi, India, is grappling with a severe public health crisis driven by pervasive air pollution, which is significantly impacting the lives of its residents. Priya Arya, a Delhi resident, describes the necessity of using a nebulizer for her daughter Sahiba to help her sleep, a device that was once only found in hospitals but is now common in many households. "The price of bad air is paid by residents like the Arya family," the article states, noting that diseases such as asthma, respiratory problems, coughs, colds, lung pain, and in severe cases, cancer or COPD, are becoming increasingly prevalent.

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But the price of bad air is paid by residents like the Arya family.

Last year, Delhi was ranked the fourth most polluted city globally, according to IQAir. The air quality index (AQI) consistently hovers near or above hazardous levels, creating a perpetual haze that even the sun struggles to penetrate. Local residents report that even during "good" periods, the air is never truly fresh. Dr. Arunesh Kumar, a pulmonologist at Paras Hospital, explains that while the body can recover from 10-15 days of high AQI annually, prolonged exposure to poor air quality leads to negative physiological changes.

Key contributors to Delhi's poor air quality include vehicle emissions, factory pollution, agricultural burning, and construction dust. For families with young children, the situation is particularly distressing. Priya Arya expresses the helplessness felt by parents, questioning the long-term consequences for their children's health, noting that a study from the University of Chicago estimates people in Delhi live 8.5 years less due to air pollution. Furthermore, at least 1.5 million deaths in India annually are linked to diseases caused by poor air quality, according to research from the Karolinska Institute and Indian researchers.

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If you have high AQI for 10–15 days a year, the body can recover. But if the air is bad for a long period, it reacts and we start seeing negative changes.

Despite the grim statistics and the daily struggle with pollution, many residents, including Priya and her husband, remain in the capital for their jobs and the superior educational opportunities available. However, the thought of relocating to their vacation home in the mountains is increasingly present, with several friends already having made the move.

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What is the worst that can happen, five years shorter lifespan?