Delhi’s Toxic Air Crisis Leaves Children Sick and Vulnerable

Published: 27 November 2025 Thursday. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The toxic haze enveloping India’s capital, Delhi, is affecting millions, but it is the city’s children who are bearing the brunt of the escalating pollution crisis. Hospitals and clinics are reporting record numbers of young patients suffering from respiratory issues, leaving parents anxious and fearful for their children’s health.

In Noida, a suburb near Delhi, the BBC visited a paediatric clinic where a steady stream of children, many sneezing, coughing, or struggling to breathe, waited for consultations. Parents anxiously monitored their children, many of whom began showing symptoms in October when Delhi’s air quality plummeted to hazardous levels. Waiting times for appointments have been unusually long due to the surge in cases.

The recurring air pollution problem in Delhi and northern India stems from multiple factors: low wind speeds, industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, dropping temperatures, and the seasonal burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has hovered between 300 and 400 in recent weeks — more than 20 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization. Levels above 400 are dangerous even for healthy individuals and can severely affect those with pre-existing conditions, with children and the elderly most at risk.

Paediatricians report a significant increase in respiratory illnesses. Dr Shishir Bhatnagar, who runs the clinic in Noida, told the BBC: “These particles can affect the child’s immunity, especially because their system is still developing. Cases have increased tenfold in recent years. Normally 20-30% of patients present with such complaints; during pollution season, that shoots up to 50-70%.”

Each year, the Delhi government imposes emergency measures such as halting construction and banning polluting vehicles. Cloud seeding has also been attempted in an effort to induce rain. Yet these interventions have done little to alleviate the worsening smog that engulfs the city every winter, causing anxiety among residents, particularly parents of young children.

Khushboo Bharti, a 31-year-old mother, described the terrifying night she rushed her one-year-old daughter, Samaira, to the hospital on 13 November. “She woke up with a violent cough that made her vomit several times. She wouldn’t even lift her head. It was the worst moment of my life,” Ms Bharti said. The toddler required steroid nebulisation and oxygen support for two days before being diagnosed with pneumonia. Although Samaira has now recovered, Ms Bharti remains vigilant. “Even if she coughs a few times, I panic,” she admitted.

Other parents face similar fears. Gopal*, a father whose two-year-old daughter, Renu*, was taken to a government hospital with chest congestion, worries about long-term effects. Doctors have advised she might need inhalers for some time.

Research consistently shows that air pollution harms young children’s health, contributing to weaker immunity, stunted growth, and reduced cognitive development. A recent University of Cambridge study involving nearly 30 million people linked exposure to pollutants with higher risks of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

For many families, the growing health risks in Delhi are prompting thoughts of relocation. “What is the point of living in a city where my daughter can’t breathe safely?” Ms Bharti said. “We can’t leave immediately because my husband’s business is in Delhi, but we’ll move when we get the chance.”

Health experts warn that unless long-term measures are implemented to curb pollution, the city’s youngest residents may continue to face severe health consequences. Parents, doctors, and advocacy groups are calling for urgent action to protect children from the toxic air that increasingly defines life in Delhi.

The ongoing crisis highlights a complex environmental challenge in a densely populated city with limited capacity to implement effective pollution control measures. While emergency interventions offer temporary relief, experts argue that comprehensive policies targeting industrial emissions, traffic, and crop-burning are essential to safeguard public health, particularly for vulnerable children.

As the winter smog lingers, parents in Delhi remain vigilant, hospitals report increasing cases, and children continue to bear the consequences of toxic air that threatens their immediate health and long-term development.