Suhel Seth, Kiran Bedi lament Delhi’s worsening toxic air
As Delhi’s air turns “very poor” to “severe,” Suhel Seth and Kiran Bedi slammed inaction, urging urgent help.
Delhi woke up yet again this week to a thick, grey haze blanketing its skyline—an all-too-familiar reminder of the toxic air its residents are forced to breathe every winter. As pollution levels fluctuated between “very poor” and “severe,” two prominent public figures, Suhel Seth and Kiran Bedi, voiced strong frustration over what they view as government apathy in the face of a deepening public health crisis.
Suhel Seth, who has frequently raised concerns about Delhi’s worsening air quality, delivered one of his sharpest critiques yet on X (formerly Twitter). His post did not mince words. Calling out both the political leadership and institutional authorities, he accused them of looking away as citizens struggle to breathe.
His frustration echoed the sentiments of countless Delhiites who feel trapped in a city where toxic air has become a seasonal certainty rather than an emergency.
Meanwhile, former IPS officer and ex–Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi has turned her social media timeline into a steady stream of alerts, reminders, and pleas. Her posts, often tagged as “Feedback post,” urge authorities to pay immediate attention as air quality continues to slip into the danger zone.
In one of her latest posts, shared roughly 11 hours ago, Bedi amplified a poignant cartoon from Down To Earth. Bedi captioned the repost with a brief but telling message: “Another feed,” adding the hashtag “pollution.” The illustration captured the absurdity and helplessness many residents feel as the crisis drags on without decisive intervention.
While Delhi did see a small dip in pollution earlier this week, the relief was short-lived. The city recorded an AQI of 385, firmly in the “very poor” category, reminding everyone that the toxic blanket had not lifted for long. Although the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has lifted GRAP III restrictions across Delhi-NCR—measures usually put in place when pollution reaches emergency levels—the conditions on the ground continue to challenge residents.
Reports of irritated eyes, persistent coughs, breathlessness, and schools advising limited outdoor exposure have once again made headlines. People are relying on purifiers, masks, and frequent health checkups, but these individual efforts can do little against a problem so vast and entrenched.
As Delhi’s air worsens and public anger grows, voices like those of Seth and Bedi add to the mounting pressure on authorities to act swiftly and meaningfully. For now, though, millions continue to wait—hoping for clearer skies, cleaner air, and leadership that treats this crisis with the urgency it demands.