(MENAFN) Hundreds of people took part in a rare demonstration in Delhi on Sunday, demanding urgent government action to address worsening air pollution in India’s capital and surrounding areas, according to reports.

Over the past three weeks, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) capable of harming lungs, has consistently hovered between 300 and 400—roughly 20 to 30 times above the World Health Organization’s safe limit. Protesters carried banners and chanted slogans calling for immediate intervention. Around 80 demonstrators were briefly detained near India Gate after authorities said they lacked permission to hold the protest.

“Our lungs are getting damaged. The government should declare it a health emergency until they find a solution to it,” a participant told reporters.

Air pollution in Delhi and its suburbs is a year-round concern due to traffic, dust, and industrial emissions. Winter months worsen the situation, with crop stubble burning in nearby states and low wind speeds trapping pollutants near the ground. Though air pollution is a recurring issue, this was one of the largest public protests on the matter in recent times.

On Monday morning, Delhi’s AQI registered at 330 according to government monitoring, categorized as “very poor,” though private monitors reported hazardous levels between 414 and 507. Approximately 400 men, women, and children participated in Sunday’s protest, with some wearing gas masks in symbolic protest. Banners included messages such as “Right to live, not just survive” and “Life in Delhi: Take birth, breathe, die.”

Police confirmed that roughly 80 people were detained and later released. “India Gate is not a protest site. It is a high-security area,” said a senior police officer, noting all those detained were adults. The demonstration included opposition leaders, university students, journalists, and environmental activists.

Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari criticized the government for failing to fully implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) despite hazardous air quality. “This is about our children… My children will live 10 years less than their cousins (in other cities) who breathe cleaner air. We still have hope, and that's why we are here,” she said. Other protesters called government measures such as road sprinkling and cloud-seeding insufficient, urging more decisive action.

Delhi’s environment minister stated that authorities are taking multiple steps, including installing anti-smog guns on high-rise buildings, sprinkling water across the city, monitoring construction sites, and increasing the number of electric buses.

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