At Jantar Mantar in New Delhi people gathered to demand the right to clean air. Protesters said they are asking for a basic right: clean air.
Organisers and speakers said the protest is not being driven by a political party. One speaker said almost every political party has governed Punjab and Delhi and that with the BJP controlling the MCD, the Delhi state and the central government there is nobody left to pass the buck to.
Speakers described health problems linked to air pollution. One speaker said his sister had a fever and cough for 11 days and doctors linked it to pollution. Another said he can afford an air purifier but most residents cannot. Parents said many children use inhalers and nebulisers.
Students said universities do not provide air purifiers and that early morning classes force them to go out when AQI is high. They said attendance rules and internal exams require them to attend despite breathing problems.
Protesters said the government is manipulating AQI data by spraying water at monitoring stations and using cloud seeding. They said cloud seeding was used despite scientists warning it would fail in low-moisture winter conditions. They said construction continues across Delhi NCR even when AQI crosses 300.
A group at the protest distributed forms for RTI requests to get AQI records for the past month and to compare official data with public data.
Speakers called for immediate action. They said the government should call the situation a public health emergency, issue a mask advisory, and enforce laws that already exist. They said long-term measures should target vehicular emissions, industrial emissions and construction dust.
Many at the protest said low-income workers, construction workers and daily wage earners are most affected. They said those people cannot stay indoors or buy purifiers.
Speakers said petitions and online campaigns have not led to action and that they will keep protesting until authorities implement measures to protect air quality.
