Health concerns rise as clean, breathable air a luxury in Gurugram

“We sold our home in Green Park, Delhi, to enjoy a relaxed retirement in Gurugram, but within a year, I was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, I have to rely on an inhaler daily. The diagnosis came as a huge shock to my family and me, but doctors have attributed it to the poor air quality in Gurugram. They’ve recommended I move to Pune with my children, at least for the winters. Despite having air purifiers in every room, the situation remains unbearable, and that’s why we’re leaving. The city is suffocating, and I’m stunned that this has become the new normal. What’s even more alarming is that no one talks about it, not even during elections,” says 62-year-old Sushmita Yadav, a retired Central Government employee living in Unitech Espace, Sector 50.

People gasping for breath

It’s not just the city’s infrastructure that’s collapsing; people are literally gasping for breath. The air is poisonous, and the authorities can’t keep blaming stubble burning. Unchecked construction, garbage burning and, most importantly, the shrinking Aravallis are to blame. — Vaishali Rana Chandra, city-based environmentalist

Yadav’s case is not unique. Many Gurugram residents, who have struggled with poor air quality year-round, now see clean, breathable air as a luxury. The city’s air quality has been poor for roughly eight months since 2022, forcing many to grapple with the harsh realities of living in such polluted conditions.

The fact that the city recorded a “good” air quality day on August 27 for the first time in two years highlights the severity of the crisis.

Gurugram didn’t experience a single good air day in 2023 and ranks among the most polluted cities in north India for at least 20 days every month. A 2021 study by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago (EPIC) revealed that residents of Gurugram lose 9.9 years of their lives due to exposure to high levels of pollution. Haryana ranks fourth nationwide, with air pollution reducing life expectancy in the state by 8.4 years.

“It’s not just the city’s infrastructure that’s collapsing; people are literally gasping for breath. Any survey will show an increasing number of children here being born with or developing pulmonary disorders. The air is poisonous, and they can’t keep blaming stubble burning. Unchecked construction, garbage burning and, most importantly, the shrinking Aravallis are to blame. The forests that once kept our air breathable are vanishing, and we’re facing the consequences. The situation is alarming,” says city-based environmentalist Vaishali Rana Chandra.

Gurugram not only struggles with high levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10, but since last year, ozone pollution has also become a major concern. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), one of the hardest-hit areas is New Gurugram, which has minimal forest cover and around 70 per cent of the city’s construction. Residents also point to poor waste management and rampant waste fires as key contributors to the city’s pollution.

“Waste is burning in nearly every area for the past two years. Civic agencies have utterly failed to tackle this issue, and it’s worsening the air quality. Many of us wake up to smog every day. Senior citizens are now leaving Gurugram, but no one seems to care. We are appalled that none of the politicians running in the elections are talking about air quality,” says Ruchika Sethi, an activist with Citizens for Clean Air Bharat.

Despite clean air being a priority for residents, none of the political candidates have addressed the issue during the campaign.

“Politicians have no clue what Gurugram actually needs. None of them are addressing the deteriorating air quality. All political parties have contributed to turning the city into a toxic chamber. None of them wants to be held accountable, nor are they offering any solutions. If they visited any hospital, they’d see the growing number of pulmonary patients in just the past two years,” adds Chandra.

Pollution shortening life expectancy: Study

• A 2021 study by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago revealed that residents of Gurugram lose 9.9 years of their lives due to exposure to high levels of pollution
• The city’s air quality has been poor for roughly eight months since 2022