Hundreds of residents demonstrated in the Indian capital on Sunday, urging authorities to take immediate steps to tackle air pollution after a heavy smog cloud filled the city’s sky with hazardous fine particles.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), protesters gathered near the India Gate monument, where concentrations of PM2.5 particles – linked to cancer and respiratory disease – reached 13 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily limit.
Police detained several demonstrators as the crowd grew larger through the afternoon while the skyline remained covered in smog. Families joined the rally, with children wearing face masks and carrying placards reading “I miss breathing.”
With a population of about 30 million, New Delhi ranks among the world’s most polluted capitals, its skies each winter shrouded in a toxic haze as cold air traps emissions near the ground. The smog is driven by crop burning, industrial smoke, and vehicle exhaust, creating what experts describe as a deadly seasonal mix.
