Pollution and Privilege: Environmental Injustice in Delhi

Being a student living in Delhi, we have three breaks during our school session—the summer break, the winter break, and the holidays due to the rising pollution level that we Delhiites call our pollution break. As students, we see these holidays as something fun, as a timepass. Even after so many years of these breaks, we fail to realise the gravity of the situation. The main cause for this is our privilege and the rising political ignorance.

With air filters installed in our homes and private cars parked alongside, we talk about buying a petrol car for the next year as the ban on diesel cars is reimposed (How ironic!). We will never fully comprehend the impact of this air pollution because though we, the middle and upper class, cause this pollution, the less privileged residents bear the costs of our actions.

Studies reveal that the levels of suspended particulates is generally higher in Delhi’s poorer neighbourhoods. Compounded by the fact that the poor spend more time outdoors because of physical labour while the rich can choose to stay indoors means that the poor are more exposed to pollution that too without masks for protection.

Another aspect to note is the stark contrast in the surroundings of these people—the upper and middle class live in greenery with trees all around in contrast to the slums with little or no plants. This directly affects their daily intake of pollutants. A case study conducted by the New York Times of two children from different income backgrounds in Delhi found that the poor child was exposed to five times the pollutants the wealthy child was.

Now, what can we as the youth of today do? Well, here’s what these children in the US did: in August 2023, 16 youth successfully fought a case against the US state of Montana for violating their right to a ‘clean and healthful environment.’ A 5-year-old child along with 15 other olders ones slowly, with the help of a few firms built their case, appeared in court as witnesses and despite the discouragement, won.

This is one of the first times in the US history in which a court has held ‘that the government violated the constitutional rights of children through... actions that promote fossil fuels,’ said Olson, chief legal counsel, Our Children’s Trust. This was a huge win led by youth for the climate as well as for democracy.

These children are an inspiration for all of us. They reflect how one can use their privilege for the good of the society. If not for fighting a case against the state of Delhi, we can, at the very least, be environment-friendly individuals. A child on the street should not be the victim of our environmentally detrimental actions.

(This was first published in the 1-31 December 2024 edition of the Gobar Times.)