Delhi Protesters Detained in Air Pollution Rally

Protesters gathered in New Delhi on Sunday to demand urgent government action against the city's worsening air pollution, leading to the detention of dozens by police at the India Gate monument.

The demonstration, which drew environmental activists, parents with children, journalists, and civil society members, took place near Mansingh Road by the iconic India Gate. Participants carried banners with messages like "Breathing is killing us" and "Our right, clear air," while chanting slogans and briefly disrupting traffic. The rally highlighted the annual smog crisis that engulfs the capital each winter, exacerbated by crop residue burning in nearby states, vehicle emissions, industrial output, and construction dust. Cooler temperatures trap the pollutants, forming a thick haze that has driven air quality into hazardous levels.

By Monday morning, New Delhi's air quality index had reached 350, categorized as very poor by the Central Pollution Control Board. Levels below 100 are considered satisfactory, while readings above 400 signal severe conditions. Some areas, including Bawana and ITO, recorded indices exceeding 400 early Monday, with the overall daily average improving slightly...