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Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria has warned that breathing Delhi’s air is akin to smoking over seven cigarettes daily
A vehicle of the PWD sprays water using an anti-smog gun to curb air pollution amid smoggy conditions in New Delhi on November 5, 2025. (Image: Arun SANKAR/AFP)
Delhi’s air quality has plummeted to “severe” levels, with the index hitting 600 in several areas — a toxic mix that effectively turns every resident into a passive smoker.
Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria has warned that breathing Delhi’s air is akin to smoking over seven cigarettes daily.
Dr Randeep Guleria, who currently heads the Institute of Internal Medicine & Respiratory & Sleep Medicine at Medanta in Gurugram, called air pollution a public health emergency requiring urgent national attention. “All of us are actually chronic smokers. It’s not cigarette smoke anymore — it’s the air we breathe. Instead of cigarette smoking, it’s air pollution from different sources,” said Dr Guleria, one of India’s top pulmonologists, while comparing Delhi’s air to passive smoking.
He said fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and smaller) penetrates deeply into the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation, swelling of blood vessels, heart attacks, strokes, and a range of chronic diseases.
“These particles are about 100th of a human hair,” he noted, adding that long-term exposure is directly linked to cardiovascular and respiratory illness.
CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN MOST AT RISK
Dr Guleria stressed that children are “more vulnerable” because their lungs are still developing, and prolonged exposure reduces lung capacity, predisposing them to chronic cough and allergic symptoms.
“Children should avoid going out. Stay indoors and ensure that the indoor environment has better air quality. If possible, stay at home or stay inside the classroom rather than going out,” he said.
Asked if schools should revert to online classes, he agreed that children’s safety must take precedence when AQI enters the severe category. He also warned of serious consequences for pregnant women and newborns.
“When pregnant women are exposed to high levels of pollution, it not only affects them but the fetus. Studies suggest it leads to intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, and sometimes even abortions,” he said, adding that mothers can face acute and chronic effects, including postpartum depression.
‘CAN’T ESCAPE, NEED LONG-TERM FIX’
As Delhi residents debated escaping the smog temporarily, Dr Guleria cautioned against seeing relocation as a solution.
“Some people do move out if they have relatives elsewhere, but it’s not practical. Even when it’s not winter, Delhi’s air rarely meets WHO standards. Sixty to seventy percent of days in a year are of poor quality,” he said.
He urged long-term, sustainable measures involving all stakeholders — from policymakers to citizens. “We need an action plan where every pollution source is identified. We must decrease emissions, improve public transport, follow construction norms, help farmers to prevent stubble burning, and make the city more environmentally friendly,” he said.
Recalling how Delhi once cleaned up its air after introducing CNG in public transport in the late 1990s, he said those gains have since been lost.
“For some time, the air quality did improve. But over the years, because of construction and more diesel vehicles, we are back to very poor quality air,” he added.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AT COST OF HEALTH
Dr Guleria warned that India’s industrial and economic growth cannot come at the cost of public health.
“We have grown economically, but we have done that at the cost of our own health,” he said. “The burden of disease is shifting to non-communicable diseases — and air pollution is a major contributing factor.”
He called for urgent recognition of air pollution as a national health crisis. “We should look at this as a public health emergency. The data suggests that 8.1 million people died because of air pollution — more than the number of people who died from COVID-19. This is a silent killer,” he said.
SURVIVAL TIPS FOR THE SEASON
As Delhi reels from the toxic haze, Dr Guleria advised residents — especially children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung disease — to stay indoors as much as possible.
“Don’t go out early in the morning or late evening. Use N95 masks, don’t exercise outdoors, drink plenty of water, eat green leafy vegetables and fruits. If symptoms worsen —breathlessness, chest tightness or discomfort — consult your doctor so that medication can be modified,” he said.
Calling for collective responsibility and sustained action, he concluded with a warning: “Unless we act now, this silent killer will keep claiming lives — not just ours, but our children’s.”
Himani Chandna, Senior Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India’s COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective.
She is particular…Read More
Himani Chandna, Senior Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India’s COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective.
She is particular… Read More
November 07, 2025, 07:00 IST
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