Overview
- Dozens gathered near India Gate on Sunday to demand stronger action on air pollution, many wearing masks and carrying signs such as “I just want to breathe.”
- Police detained demonstrators and confiscated placards and banners; The Indian Express reported at least 80 arrests after authorities banned the gathering.
- Protester Namrata Yadav attended with her son, saying she came as a mother and did not want to become a climate refugee.
- Delhi routinely ranks among the most polluted capitals, with winter smog linked to industrial emissions, heavy traffic and agricultural burning across the region.
- Officials’ fragmented measures, including partial transport curbs, water-spraying tankers and a cloud-seeding trial last month, have not produced notable improvement.