As winter approaches, the debate around Delhi’s deteriorating air quality has resurfaced, this time loudly and with a renewed sense of urgency, marked by the protests on November 6 and 9 at Jantar Mantar calling out the Centre and the Delhi government for apathy, denial, and data manipulation. Everyone from students, activists, to residents came to the streets demanding accountability and urgent action to combat the capital’s worsening air quality. People were not demanding a favour. They were asserting a constitutional right, with Articles 21 and 47 affirming environmental protection as essential to life and imposing a duty on the state to safeguard public health. This raises several questions: Is air quality not a priority for the government? Why does the response to this pressing issue lack the urgency it demands? What lessons from China’s approach can India adopt to address this crisis?
The absence of air quality improvement measures in the 2025 Delhi election manifestos suggests that air pollution is neither seen as a critical issue nor considered significant enough by leaders to influence voter behaviour. One of the reasons for not considering it as a priority for the government to even mention it during elections, is because high air quality index (AQI) during winters has been normalised in India, demonstrated by the state’s years of inaction, people not wearing masks, and cases showing only a few places equipped with air purifiers. This normalisation reflects not only complacency but also deep inequity: while some can shield themselves with air filtration systems or work remotely, the majority cannot afford such protections and continue to face severe health risks without alternatives.
This widening gap in exposure underscores the need for a long-term, enforceable, and visibly implemented measures. Short-term or seasonal responses will not resolve a crisis of this scale. While public debate often fixates on stubble burning, it is only one contributor and addressing it alone cannot solve the problem. India could learn from the way China tackled high AQI. Under China’s Air Pollution Action Plan of 2013, the government halted new coal-fired power plants and shut down older ones in severely polluted regions such as Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and the Pearl and Yangtze River Deltas. These steps aimed in part at reducing sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal combustion led to a measurable decline in pollution and significantly improved air quality. In India as well, a critical area requiring urgent action is the SO2 emissions from the 12 coal-based thermal power plants located within a 300-km radius of Delhi. According to a 2024 study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), these plants emitted 281 kilotonnes of SO2 between June 2022 and May 2023. Installing flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems could reduce emissions to 93 kilotonnes, a substantial improvement. The health and economic gains from implementing FGD far exceed the associated costs, offering a viable pathway toward cleaner air and better public health across the National Capital Region.
Another thing China focused on was developing green transport systems. They started to work on a timeline to put a ban on the sale of petrol cars in an effort to curb air pollution. By 2024, 11 million cars were registered as EVs in China, which surged from approximately 0.58 million EVs in 2017. The recent Delhi government’s policy to ban petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years starting from July 1, 2025, has failed due to inequitable implementation, economic impracticality, and poor planning. A blanket ban based solely on vehicle age overlooks well-maintained cars that comply with pollution norms and disproportionately impacts middle-class individuals already grappling with rising fuel costs and inflation. India also needs to work on a timeline to put a ban on the sale and usage of petrol cars while thinking about transitioning to electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles by giving tax benefits and creating more awareness about EV vehicles. Despite India’s current financial challenges in automobile manufacturing, unlike in China that benefit from critical minerals and advanced EV technology, a shift to electric vehicles would still deliver long-term gains by reducing pollution and strengthening India’s global position.
Tackling high AQI crises demands sustained, science-driven action rather than seasonal measures. It is important for the government to treat air quality as a genuine priority instead of downplaying or manipulating data, which only signals a lack of intent to act. India can draw on lessons from China by prioritising emission controls, cleaner energy, and green mobility systems. India needs a response that is economically inclusive, environmentally effective, and socially sensitive. Only then can India move toward cleaner air and a healthier, more secure future for its citizens.
Khushi Agrawal is pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy (MAPP) at O.P. Jindal Global University
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth