Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Karsyn Elmore
Mr. Phillips
AP English 4th
13 December 2019
India’s New Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The country is home to
22 of the top 30 most polluted cities, according to a study by Greenpeace and AirVisual 2018
World Air Quality Report (Pokharel). Every winter New Delhi farmers burn their crops to make
room for a new harvest, causing smoke to settle over India putting many at risk for exposure to
air contamination. In addition, the annual Hindu Festival of Lights contaminates the air after
setting off fireworks. The New Delhi government and political leaders have taken little action to
prevent polluted air from affecting the Indian population. Because of this issue, the high levels of
polluted air in New Delhi are becoming a major risk to the health and living conditions of its
residents.
The deadly polluted air has caused many residents in New Delhi to develop illnesses.
Siddharth Singh, a resident of a satellite city of Delhi, reports that many people have developed
allergy-like symptoms. Singh describes the air as “smell[ing] like burning leaves.” He also says,
“Many people have a persistent dry cough and itchy eyes. Everything is hazy, so the eyes don’t
focus on objects in the distance” (qtd. In Pokharel). Another Delhi resident, Reem Idokhar,
claims that the air smells awful and her sinuses are making her miserable. She notes that
pollution has grown much worse in recent years (Thiagarajan). Another resident, Mohammad
Islam, is forced to miss several hours of work every day due to his chronic cough. Islam states, “I
Elmore 2
have started to get shortness of breath, a suffocation I cannot explain. It feels like someone is
physically choking me” (qtd. in Schultz). All of the illnesses these residents have experienced
could have been prevented if the government had taken action to help their city and had been
more responsible. It is obvious that the health of New Delhi’s citizens have been negatively
Almost everyone living in New Delhi has developed an illness, whether it be long term or
short-term sickness. Reports have found that the city’s children may be facing permanent brain
damage from the toxic air (Schultz). Sanya Mansoor, a writer for Time, stated that short term
exposure to the air is enough to cause serious long-term health problems such as heart attacks,
heart disease, and lung cancer. Nihal Masih also reported that hospitals are filled with countless
people who are dying every day because of respiratory problems. Doctors are calling this
epidemic a “sniper.” The harmful polluted air individuals are experiencing has caused a large
The polluted air in New Delhi has caused a major shift in the lives of its residents. Their
lives have been turned upside down because they are not able to go outside and go on with their
daily tasks. Septuagenarian couple, Krishen and Rekha Kak, told NPR that they limit their time
outside. They only use their cars when they have to, and stay inside with the doors and windows
closed at all times (Thiagarajan). The World Health Organization officials plan to limit the
number of vehicles on the roads, urge people to stay inside, and shut down primary schools and
flights due to high levels of “dark yellow haze” in the area (Shultz). Residents in New Delhi are
encouraged to wear face masks to prevent inhaling the heavy air and to avoid respiratory
irritation (Pokharel). Sonam Arora, who works as a banker, said she is looking for opportunities
Elmore 3
in cities with cleaner air to bring up her child. “As a new mother of a 3-month-old-baby, I have
not stepped out of the house for over 10 days,” she said (qtd. in Masih). Due to the toxic air,
residents such as Arora are forced to stay inside at all times instead of going to work or school.
Who knows how long they will have to live like this? It could be weeks, months, or longer.
During this horrible time for Delhiites, they would do anything to prevent themselves and their
loved ones from being affected by this polluted air, even if that means staying indoors.
However, some people have argued that polluted air is not a big deal and it does not need
to be taken seriously. Gobind Kapur, a fellow Delhite, told CNN reporter Shivam Vik that his
own family does not think they need to wear a mask. They are not taking this issue seriously.
Additionally, even as air pollution reached dangerous levels the first week of November,
businesses and advocates at expensive restaurants chose to open their doors and sit outside
(Shultz). Those citizens who don’t listen to the warnings of government organizations risk severe
On the other hand, there are some residents in the area that do not have the type of money
to help them survive this lethal smog. Jyoti Kumar, the owner of a supermarket in New Delhi,
says that more people would buy air purifiers if they could afford them.”I wish I could shut down
my business and leave this city for good,” she says (qtd. in Schultz). Residents like Jyoti Kumar
don’t have the type of money to help them leave New Delhi. They are stuck in this destructive
environment.
Despite the claims made by those who believe that air pollution is not a problem, it is a
life-threatening issue. Every time a citizen in New Delhi steps outside with no protection, they
are exposed to hundreds of deadly toxins in the air, weakening their immune systems. Experts
Elmore 4
claim that breathing Delhi’s air for one day has the same impact as smoking at least 25 cigarettes
(Mansoor). Another estimate predicted immediate exposure to pollution could shave 3.2 years
from the life expectancy of millions of people (Ifran). Exposure to this fatal pollution could ruin
the lives of New Delhi resident’s lives indefinitely. India's population is constantly growing,
which means there are more and more people at risk. Something has to change in order for
To fight this problem there have been projects developed to help save lives. Back in
2009, the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act was enacted. This act changed how farmers
planted crops, which has encouraged sustainable farming techniques across the country (Irfan).
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, India’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology,
and Earth Sciences said that consuming carrots helps the body obtain potassium and antioxidants
which can protect pollution-related harm to health (Thiagarajan). Kurinij Selvaraj, a researcher at
the Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment, and Water, stated that due to the wind
direction going from north-west to south-east, Delhi’s air quality has slightly improved (Ifran).
These band-aid solutions are tolerable but they are not permanent solutions.
The contaminated air in India is a severe issue. It is one that everyone needs to be taking
more seriously and that includes political leaders, residents, and the government. If other
organizations are helping save lives in New Delhi, why can’t the government? Gaurav Gogoi, a
lawmaker from the opposition Indian National Congress Party intends to make a new Air Act to
replace the old one from 1981. He says, “Political leaders need to stop treating air pollution as
merely an environmental issue and understand it’s a public health emergency” (qtd. In Vij). The
government needs to put themselves in the shoes of their residents for once and consider
Elmore 5
showing deference for their living conditions. Dr. Vikram Jaggi, director of the Asthma Chest &
Allergy Center in New Delhi states that most conversations he observes between his patients and
others are on air pollution. It is the only thing to talk about. He tells NPR, “But when people say
they just want to be able to see the stars again it makes me really sad” (qtd. in Thiagarajan).
Ultimately, the environmental issues in India are severely handicapping their citizens’ ability to
live their lives, particularly in New Delhi and other over-populated regions.
hopeless and finding means to survive. The New Delhi Government needs to put their foot down
and come up with a permanent solution to help with environmental contamination. They can
encourage lifestyle changes such as increased use of public transportation. The government can
also provide tax incentives for more fuel efficient automobiles (Brara). Instead of burning crops
before every harvest, which is a large contributor to the poor air quality, the government can
enforce more efficient and modern methods in agriculture. These are just some of the steps that
can be taken to help solve this problem. If not residents will suffer. Assem Prakash,
founder-director of the Center for Environmental Politics at the University of Washington, states
that what Delhiites need is political will, and “a bit of imagination” (qtd. in Irfan).
Elmore 6
Works Cited
Brara, Arvinder S. “14 Ways Citizens and Govt Can Help Reduce Air Pollution in Delhi.” Down
Irfan, Umair. “The Law That's Helping Fuel Delhi's Deadly Air Pollution.” Vox, 13 Nov. 2019.
Mansoor, Sanya. “Air Pollution Levels Were 'Off The Charts' In New Delhi.” Time, 6 Nov.
Masih, Nihal. “New Delhi Is Losing the Battle Against Air Pollution.” Washington Post, 5 Nov.
Pokharel, Sugam. “New Delhi Is Choking on Smog and There's No End in Sight.” CNN, Cable
Schultz, Kai. “New Delhi, Choking on Toxic Air, Declares Health Emergency.” The New York
Thiagarajan, Kamala. “As Delhi Chokes On Smog, India's Health Minister Advises: Eat More
Vij, Shivam. “Schools Were Shut and Flights Diverted. But Air Pollution Still Isn't a Political
Issue in India.” CNN, Cable News Network, 6 Nov. 2019. Web. 3 Dec. 2019.
Elmore 7