'Nothing seems to change and no one seems to care'

Exactly eight years ago, in 2017, Delhi Times gathered a dozen of the country’s top doctors near Rashtrapati Bhavan at 6.30am, for a photoshoot in the smog, with the AQI hovering around 815.

No one should be breathing this air, they told us, warning that immediate action should be taken. 96 months later, we revisit this grim image and ask them what has changed

If you were to compare the AQI of 2017 in these days, it is practically the same... What has changed? Nothing! We all forget about it like nothing has happened once good months come. This is a forgotten story and once the pre Diwali season comes, it starts again.I agree that some efforts may have been made by the government but the impact has been negligible. We continue to breathe the same toxic air and we are still in a dilemma about how to move forward. The government promises so many things, so many govts have come and gone from that time but we all are short of ideas. If we were to pick up ideas from what is happening in foreign countries, where the air pollution level has been controlled, we can at least move forward.

At the moment, I am in the car, in traffic, the AQI here is 400 so take out the date from Nov 2017, the AQI is either equal or worse. All the children who were born in that time or were young have grown up with weak lungs, which has been impacted by the poor air quality. Having an air purifier in a house, office has become a necessity. My young grandson wants to go out and play cricket but he cannot step out of the house. When we spoke in 2017, I was 62, and after eight years, my morning and evening walks to Lodhi Gardens have become zero.Are masks going to be the way life going forward? For how long can we wear them? Can we open our windows? Can we live without air purifiers?! Just stepping out has become a problem. Life has stopped for us. Humein parents kehte thay bahar jaake khelo, ab parents kehte hain ghar raho, bahar nahi jao. How much is this impacting the growth of the future generation! This is supposed to be a healthy season but here we have patients coming for respiratory illnesses.

.. It is worse now because no action has been taken in these years and no improvement - DR NAVIN DANG, Founder and Director, Dr Dangs Lab

‘POLLUTION POSES SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISKS TO CHILDREN’We are pretty much where we were. Nothing seems to change and no one seems to care. Air pollution poses significant health risks to children, including an increased risk of respiratory infections, asthma, and reduced lung function. It can also impact cognitive development, lead to low birth weight, and contribute to serious long-term health problems later in life. Because children are more vulnerable due to their developing bodies and behaviours like breathing faster, exposure can lead to immediate issues & a greater likelihood of chronic diseases as adults- DR NITIN VERMA, Director, Paediatrics, Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital

‘WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE HAZE TO APPEAR TO REALISE THAT THE AQI IS UNHEALTHY’What has changed from 2017: Everyone is now aware that Delhi’s location limits air circulation and in winter, the situation gets worse because cold dense air near the ground gets trapped, which, with low wind speeds and reduced rainfallWhat has not changed:■ Those who are more vulnerable to the effects of pollution – elderly, those with medical conditions and children – have not changed their routines, which they should change considerably to protect themselves n Walks in the park, physical activities and sports have not been curtailed, but they should be■ Families who have the resources still leave the city during this period■ The AQI despite all the efforts is not where it should beWhat must change:■ We need to have an open mind. One experiment at cloud seeding that did not give desirable results does not not mean it should not be studied again■ GRAP needs to be reassessed and based on the data that has been aggregated, modified to make it more potent  We don’t have to wait for the haze to appear to realise that the AQI is unhealthy but a year-round effort needs to be made to make it healthy■ We owe it to our children to ensure that while they will be citizens of a developed India, we, as their guardians, must work towards creating a healthy India leads to thick smog.

Every citizen is now familiar with GRAP I to IV. Every child knows that 5 factors cause pollution: Vehicular Emissions, Industrial Emissions, Construction and Road Dust, Stubble Burning, Waste Burning and Household Emissions.- DR ANUPAM SIBAL, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatrician, Apollo Hospitals Group

‘IT’S TIME TO TAKE SOME RADICAL MEASURES’Unfortunately, there has been no major breakthrough in so many years and the situation continues to be grim, if not worse. Respiratory illnesses are on the rise and our overall life expectancy is reducing. It’s time to take some radical measures!!- DR VIVEK NANGIA, Vice Chairman & Head, Pulmononary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine , Max Healthcare