Delhi’s Winter Air Becomes a Death Trap for the Vulnerable

— ✍️ Aakriti Dhawan

As Delhi enters another brutal winter, the city’s skies have turned into a toxic haze, and for many of its most vulnerable residents, there is no escape. This year, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in several neighborhoods has crossed 600, placing parts of Delhi firmly in the “Severe Plus” category. For low-income workers who spend their lives on the streets — like auto drivers, labourers, and street vendors — the pollution is not just an annual inconvenience; it is a constant threat to life.

In informal settlements across the city, reliance on traditional practices for basic necessities is widespread. “Using a chulha (wood-fired stove) or lighting small fires to stay warm is not a choice for many — it is a necessity, especially with the increase of gas (LPG) prices,” says Nitesh, a truck driver, underscoring a grim truth. These survival tools, as people call them, contribute yet another deadly layer of pollution to Delhi’s already toxic air.

Health Risks Are Severe and Widespread

Dr. Sanjay Sachdeva, an ENT specialist at Max Healthcare, warns that this toxic cocktail of winter haze and household smoke is wreaking havoc on health. He explains that fine particulate matter — known as PM2.5 and ultrafine particles — doesn’t just irritate the lungs but aggravates existing health conditions. Once inhaled, these particles penetrate deep into the respiratory system, triggering a chronic inflammatory reaction. Over time, this persistent inflammation can affect not just the lungs, but also the heart, brain, and kidneys.

“These particles alter immune responses,” Dr. Sachdeva says. “They worsen pre-existing conditions like asthma and heart disease. They also suppress immunity, especially in people whose nutrition is already compromised. That makes them more vulnerable to upper respiratory infections.” “My children are only 4 and 7,” says Radha Kumar, a cook living in Delhi. “They keep coughing so much that they can’t go to school. The doctor gives medicine, but nothing seems to help in this air.”

Children are especially at risk. “For kids who are already allergy-prone, this pollution causes flare-ups,” he continues. “It dramatically increases asthma attacks and makes breathing suddenly very difficult.” Those living near heavily polluted roads or dense construction areas may experience multiple “acute attacks” in a single winter, he warns.

The health toll is not just theoretical — it’s heartbreakingly real. Take Neetu from Nathupur, Gurgaon, for example. She wakes up every morning to the sharp sting of smoke in her chest and travels into Delhi to work, often coughing so badly that her chest hurts. “There are days when no medicine seems to help,” she confesses. “It’s like the air itself is making me sick.” Another family, speaking on condition of anonymity, described how they are suffering each day with intense cough and pain in chest, but they have to continue to cook on chulas and burn fire for survival. For these families, pollution is not just about stinging eyes or irritation — it’s about lost time, lost education, and growing disability.

Pollution doesn't only worsen the quality of life — it is also taking lives. Dr. Sachdeva notes that morbidity and mortality related to air pollution have surged, and in some cases, the number of lives lost due to toxic air may even exceed those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s hard to overstate how serious this is,” he says. “We’re not just talking about seasonal discomfort. We’re talking about a public health emergency.”

What Can People Do — and What Needs to Be Done

For many Delhi residents, these options remain out of reach. Instead, Dr. Sachdeva recommends practical, low-cost measures: “Drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables if you can, and try to limit outdoor exposure during peak pollution times.” These aren’t perfect solutions — but in a crisis like this, small steps matter.

Community-level action is also becoming increasingly essential. Local volunteer groups are distributing masks to construction workers and street vendors — those most exposed yet least protected. Dr. Sachdeva notes that while N95 masks can reduce exposure to harmful pollutants, they are far from a comprehensive solution. “Real change requires systemic action — halting construction during peak smog periods, relocating polluting industries away from residential zones, and limiting private vehicle use,” he says.

A City Waiting — at What Cost?

Each winter, the city holds its breath — but for many who live in its most polluted corners, there is no pause, no escape. As AQI rockets beyond 600, and lung infections, asthma attacks, and heart issues rise, people continue lighting chulhas because they cannot afford alternatives. Delhi is still waiting for decisive action from its leaders.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has defended allowing certified green firecrackers during Diwali and insisted that pollution data “cannot be tampered with,” urging people to celebrate responsibly. Investigations have found that many of Delhi’s continuous air-quality monitoring stations are “flanked by trees or buildings,” violating CPCB siting norms.

While there are measures stated by the CM of Delhi regarding the pollution, a CAG report has backed these concerns, calling the AQI data “unreliable” because the location of many monitoring stations does not meet the required minimum distance from nearby obstructions like trees. And as audits reveal that many monitoring stations are partly shielded by trees and watered grounds — potentially underreporting the real danger — Delhi’s most vulnerable are left breathing a crisis that is far worse than the numbers suggest.

- The author is an independent journalist living in Hamburg Germany. She covers beats such as cross cultural relations, gender, politics and crime. She’s also the host of Beyond Borders Podcast.

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