The Right to Clean Air: A Fundamental Right at Risk This Winter Again!

As winter approaches, it’s that time of the ‘air’ again when the national capital’s air quality index (AQI) nosedives, making Delhi one of the most polluted cities globally. The annual battle for clean air is far from over, and as we brace for yet another smog season, we are left to wonder: is clean air still a fundamental right?

Recently, NDTV’s The Breakfast Show hosted an essential discussion on this very topic, featuring experts like Sachin Panwar , Founder of YOGa Clean Air, and Zerin Osho Bamezai Raina , Director of India Program at the Institute of Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD), to dissect the reasons behind the worsening air quality and the actions required to address it.

1. Policy vs. Enforcement Ms. Zerin highlighted the fact that while Delhi has several policies in place to combat pollution, enforcement remains weak. She emphasized that without strong enforcement and incentives to adopt cleaner practices, the battle against pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10 cannot be won.
2. Curbing the Sources Both panellists stressed the need to address pollution at its source, whether it's vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, or illegal biomass burning. Fantastical measures like Smog Towers or artificial rain have little to no impact unless we target the root causes.
3. Fundamental Rights Mr. Sachin raised a crucial point about the violation of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, implicitly including the right to breathe clean air. Yet, as pollution levels soar to hazardous levels, fundamental rights are repeatedly compromised, particularly for vulnerable groups like children.

Air Quality is a Year-Round Concern The Delhi government's recent winter action plan brings us back to the question: Why are we waiting for the crisis to worsen each year before acting? Ms. Zerin drew an analogy to a doctor treating only the symptoms of a disease rather than the underlying cause. This kind of reactive approach won’t lead to a sustainable solution.

A Movement for Clean Air As Mr. Sachin aptly pointed out, All are at high risk, specifically the marginalised communities. Still, it has been made to believe that air pollution is only a problem for urban elites, and little is being done to mitigate their exposure. Now is the time to shift our focus from emergency measures to long-term, enforceable policies that protect our right to clean air. We must push for sustained efforts, and each of us must contribute to this movement — from policy enforcement to individual actions.

Let this serve as a call to action for everyone: policymakers, industries, and citizens alike.

Clean air is not a privilege, it’s a right.