Sacrificing Our Future: How Delhi’s Air Pollution Threatens an Entire Generation

Delhi experienced another smog-blanketed day on Sunday, with the city’s average air quality index (AQI) reaching 391 at 4 pm on November 23, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. This indicated a steady deterioration from AQI levels of 370 on November 22 and 364 on November 21. 

However, this is not a new experience for Delhiites. As winter settles in, Delhi’s air quality plunges into dangerous territory, with regular spikes in PM2.5 levels and AQI readings often entering the “very poor” above the AQI of 301 and below 400 and even the “severe” above 400 zones. 

According to a March 2025 report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city’s winter average PM2.5 level during one season was an alarming 175 µg/m³—several times higher than India’s 24-hour standard of 60 µg/m³ and the annual standard of 40 µg/m³. During the season, the national capital did not register any ‘good’ air quality days, with peak pollution reaching 602 µg/m³ on November 18, 2024. The year-long trend too shows a deterioration: A CSE analysis showed that Delhi’s annual PM2.5 in 2024 (104.7 µg/m³) was a 3.4% increase from 2023 levels.

Impact on Children

The biggest impact of these episodes—caused by Diwali fireworks, stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, and stagnant winter air-flow—is felt by the city’s youngest residents, whose bodies are still in the development stage.

A 2022 Science Direct study stated that air pollution has a significant impact on child growth in India. It found that a one standard-deviation increase in PM2.5 for Indian cities raises stunting rates by 5 percentage points and severe stunting by 2.4 points among children. 

The researchers also found that if India met WHO-recommended pollution levels, implying an eightfold reduction from current levels, rates of stunting could fall by 10.4 percentage points and severe stunting by 5.17 percentage points, amounting to roughly 14.3mn fewer stunted children.

While PM2.5 most strongly affects height-related outcomes, ozone and carbon monoxide also harm weight-related growth. The study further estimates that each year of early-life exposure to pollution reduces adult earnings by 1.4–2.0%, underscoring the long-term human and economic costs of India’s high pollution levels. That’s not all, the impact of air pollution directly impairs the lungs as suggested by pediatricians who spoke with Outlook Business.

Considering these factors, the Delhi government on Nov 11 mandated hybrid classes for students up to class 5, following the Centre’s invocation of Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, several of Delhi’s private schools continue to flout the orders, putting the wellbeing of children at risk. 

Coping Strategies

In situations like these, one’s first instinct is to leave the city for safer, cleaner environs. Dr. Saurabh Khanna, Pediatrician and Neonatologist at Delhi-based CK Birla Hospital, said a temporary relocation can work in case of acute problems such as respiratory difficulties, asthma, chronic lung disease, or in case of immunocompromised patients.  

However, he also acknowledged that it is not a solution that is available to everyone: "Whether to temporarily leave the city or implement strategies to stay safer is a personal choice, depending on various factors." He warned that continuous exposure to high levels of smoke causes multiple short term and long term issues that could become life threatening. 

Some of these problems include: 

Lung damage & chronic inflammation: PM2.5 particles are tiny enough to bypass natural defenses (like nasal hairs and mucus), penetrating deep into the alveoli. Over time, this causes persistent inflammation. Kids suffer more coughing, wheezing, and produce more phlegm.

Reduced lung capacity: Long-term exposure is linked to slower lung growth. Their lungs may never fully reach their healthy potential.

Asthma and infections: Pollution is a well-known trigger for asthma attacks, and can trigger asthma in previously healthy children. Damage to lung tissue raises the risk of pneumonia and bronchitis.

Other organs: PM2.5 can enter the bloodstream and affect other organs. Dr. Khanna highlighted neurotoxicity—particles crossing the blood-brain barrier leading to inflammation of the neural tissue, which is potentially linked to cognitive deficits, attention disorders and poor concentration. Fine dust can also lead to eye problems such as chronic conjunctivitis, itching, burning, and watering.

Long-term health: Childhood exposure could stunt growth, hamper academic performance, and set the stage for lifelong illnesses like COPD or emphysema.

Dr. Charu Pannu, Specialist Pediatrician at Aster DM Healthcare, echoed many of the above concerns, pointing out that children inhale more air relative to their body weight compared to adults, and since their lungs aren’t fully formed, the impact is magnified. She pointed out that acute respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, wheezing and asthma attacks spike during peak pollution months, resulting in more emergency room visits and hospitalisations. In addition, continued exposure raises the risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, impaired lung growth and systemic inflammation that can contribute to cardiovascular risks later in life.

Dr. Pannu also underscored how pollution often hits the economically disadvantaged sections harder: Children from wealthier families may have access to air purifiers, better masks and cleaner micro-environments. In informal settlements, children live in cramped homes with poor ventilation and little protection, making them especially vulnerable. Poor housing quality, lack of access to clean indoor air, and weak health infrastructure worsen the damage.

A Public Health Emergency

From a public health and community-resilience perspective, Eilia Jafar, an Environmentalist, warned that Delhi’s air crisis is no longer seasonal—it’s a public health emergency. In response, NGOs are working on awareness, distributing masks, promoting low-cost air purifiers, and educating parents. 

But can only be stop-gap measures without true, systemic reform. Jafar calls for more aggressive policy initiatives, such as planting green buffers, establishing no-vehicle "school streets" and curtailing traffic near schools and sending out real-time AQI alerts. Additionally, she called for urban planning that keeps schools away from areas with high emissions.

Next Steps

Immediate Remedies

Families need to use HEPA-filtered air purifiers at home and in schools. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are among the most effective, short-term solutions for this problem, and can trap up to 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. 

In addition, children should wear well-fitting N95/KN95 masks that filter out 95% of airborne particles. They should also avoid outdoor play when AQI is “Poor” or worse, said Dr. Khanna.

Medium-Term Plan

Authorities must continue to address major emission sources—vehicles, construction, industries—especially during peak pollution season. Implementing and enforcing stricter emission norms, particularly in transport and construction, is vital. 

“Local governments need to make sure that traffic rules are followed, that there are no-idling zones, and that big vehicles can't move near schools and homes during times of high pollution. Issuing regular pollution alerts and warnings through school circulars, social media, and local media should be one of the first steps. This will assist parents and teachers to take the right steps to protect their children,” said Jafar.

Long-Term Reforms

While short-term measures, such as traffic restrictions and the use of indoor air purifiers, can help blunt the impact and make it more tolerable, a sustainable solution to the problem can only come from long-term and structural reforms. Jafar believes that it cannot be achieved without a fundamental reimagination of urban planning in Delhi. This, she said, involves creating green belts around schools and housing, enforcing low-emission zones, and ensuring inter-state coordination to tackle crop burning in Punjab and Haryana. 

Delhi’s children are now living in a gas chamber, inhaling smog, and along with it, a persistent health risk that threatens their lungs, development and future due to lack of policy planning and foresight. The burden is real and increasing, visible from slums to public hospitals, as the yearly crisis turns into a health catastrophe that threatens to cripple the wellbeing of a generation. The window for meaningful reform is narrowing—and the most vulnerable, our children, are paying the price for our inaction.