Experts sound alarm as Delhi’s air quality worsens, citing cancer and respiratory risks

Delhi’s deteriorating air quality has raised alarm among health experts, who warn that prolonged exposure to toxic air could lead to serious and lasting health consequences.

Beyond respiratory illnesses, experts say the impact includes weakened immunity and an increased risk of cancer.

The State of Global Air 2025 report revealed that India recorded over two million deaths linked to air pollution in 2023. With South Asia’s PM2.5 levels ranking among the highest globally, the findings underscore what experts describe as a growing environmental and human crisis.

Environmental specialists and policymakers note that India’s air pollution problem has multiple sources. Residential solid-fuel burning contributes about 30% of ambient PM2.5 levels, while vehicular emissions, coal-based power plants, industrial pollutants, and agricultural residue burning add to the burden. In urban hubs like Delhi, traffic congestion and construction dust worsen exposure.

Dr. Rakesh K. Chawla, head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sleep, and Interventional Pulmonology at Jaipur Golden Hospital, Rohini, said that Delhi represented the sharp edge of India’s air-pollution emergency. He explained that each winter, particulate matter levels rose to nearly 10 times the WHO safe limit, and after Diwali and crop-residue burning, the city sat under a lid of stagnant cold air that trapped toxins.

He added that this was not merely a seasonal inconvenience but a continuous assault on the lungs that weakened immunity, worsened asthma, and accelerated chronic lung disease. He stressed that clean air must be treated as a basic right, not a luxury dependent on weather or wind.

Dr. Chawla further stated that temporary fixes had failed to make a meaningful difference, pointing out that measures like odd-even traffic schemes and cloud-seeding experiments were merely reactive and symbolic. He emphasised the need for sustained enforcement of emission norms, investment in electric public transport, and strict controls on construction and waste burning, warning that without systemic reform, every winter would replay the same public-health disaster.

Dr. Charu Jora Goyal, a nuclear medicine physician and the founder and CEO of Scan4Health, said that with the onset of winter and the festive season, air pollution emerged as one of the most potent carcinogens. She explained that prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter, especially PM2.5 and PM10, was known to increase the risk of lung cancer even among non-smokers, as these pollutants could enter the bloodstream and contribute to cancers of the bladder, breast, and other organs.

Echoing her concern, Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, director of surgical oncology at CK Birla Hospital, said that air pollution itself was carcinogenic. He noted that if a patient with pollution-related cancer continued to stay in a polluted environment, treatment became less effective. He added that pollution increased cancer incidence, reduced treatment effectiveness, and made already weak patients weaker.

Apart from cancer, experts reported a sharp rise in breathing issues, eye irritation, and allergies. Aman Puri, founder of Steadfast Nutrition, noted that the ultra-fine particulate pollutants accumulated in the lungs, causing inflammation and limiting oxygen supply. He suggested that antioxidant-rich foods, herbs, and spices like tulsi, turmeric, and ginger could help lower inflammation and oxidative stress.

Dr. Aditya K. Chawla, consultant at Jaipur Golden Hospital, said that in already polluted environments, smoking multiplied the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He warned that no drug could restore lung function once it was lost. He added that the only effective defence was prevention — quitting smoking, limiting outdoor exposure during high-pollution days, and using clean fuels at home. He stressed that public awareness, early screening, and long-term policy enforcement were the pillars of respiratory protection.

Dr. Ashish Kumar, senior manager at Zeon Lifesciences, said that polluted air worsened existing health conditions and slowed recovery among patients undergoing treatment. He added that clean air was vital for optimal lung function, better treatment response, and overall respiratory health, emphasising the need for pollution control and preventive care.