Scottish historian William Dalrymple’s post on Delhi air pollution has gone viral
Delhi has been facing a significant air pollution crisis for several years now. This year, the air quality in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram has reached “alarmingly high” levels, with many areas surpassing the 500 AQI threshold. Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, a Scottish man who has lived in Delhi for over 40 years shared a post that quickly went viral. As a historian, he expressed his dismay at witnessing “one of the most fascinating cities” in the world transform into a “choking death-trap.”
WHAT DID THE HISTORIAN SAY? “I just returned to Delhi to find the city wrapped in a suffocating shroud of pollution. Even at 2 PM, it’s impossible to see 100 meters across the runway,” William Dalrymple wrote. “In my forty years here, I’ve never encountered anything like this. What a tragic fate for the City of Djinns—still, at its best, the most captivating of cities, but currently a tragic, suffocating death-trap,” he added. He concluded his post with a graphic indicating that each person in Delhi is inhaling smoke equivalent to smoking eight cigarettes daily.
SOCIAL MEDIA’S REACTIONS: People reacted to his post with a range of comments. While some mourned the decline in the city’s air quality, others suggested relocating to areas with better AQI. One individual commented, “Delhi’s allure is undeniable, but the current pollution levels are heartbreaking.
It’s disheartening to see such a vibrant city suffocated by poor air.” Another remarked, “It looks like something out of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film.” A third person said, “You’re brave. I canceled my trip to Delhi out of concern.” A fourth added, “It’s truly awful and deeply saddening. I had to adjust my breathing just to leave my hotel today.”
The air quality situation is being regarded as a “medical emergency” by the Delhi government, which has urged institutions to implement “preventive measures for public health.” Due to the poor air quality, many schools and colleges have transitioned to online classes. What do you think about this post?
