Air quality in Delhi, India, has been a problem for years. Growing industries, dust, and auto emissions all play a role in the growing problem. Over the weekend, hundreds of people took to the streets in a rare public protest as the region’s air quality declined further. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is 20 to 30 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safe limit. The AQI measures the amount of fine particulate matter. The tiny particles can lodge in human lungs. The index offers a marker for safety for people with asthma or other lung issues. It ranged in Delhi from 300 to 400. Its peak measure is 500. A 100 AQI is enough to begin causing issues for those with breathing problems. Any rating above 400 is very dangerous, even for healthy adults. That's according to the WHO. The capital city of New Delhi has struggled with smog for years. At times, pollution has forced school closures and strict limits on driving. About 400 protesters called for measures to be taken right away to curb pollution. Roughly 80 of them were briefly detained at the India Gate. That's a famous monument in the city of New Delhi. Police said protesters did not have permission to gather there. “The government should declare it a health emergency,” a protester told news agency PTI. “The right to clean air is a basic human right,” Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress party posted on X. Reflect: What are some ways you see people in your community working toward making it a clean, safe place for people to live? Photo of air pollution in Delhi from Reuters.
