Delhi’s air, suffocating under a toxic haze, betrays the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) this October soared to 547—hazardous by any measure—turning the capital into a gas chamber where every breath carries fine particulate matter deep into the lungs. PM2.5 levels hit 276 micrograms per cubic metre and PM10 reached 547, exceeding safe limits tenfold.

Hospitals report a 20 per cent surge in respiratory illnesses. Children wheeze through playgrounds turned poisonous; the elderly gasp for air that offers no respite. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 200,000 hospitalisations were linked to pollution, and 2025 is set to surpass that grim tally. Yet Delhi seems to embrace its toxicity, prioritising festivals over survival.

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