In Delhi NCR, 1 in every 6 deaths is linked to toxic air. Air pollution silently kills around 15–20 lakh Indians every year. We have normalized breathing poison every single day.

This crisis has gone on for far too long. We demand immediate emergency action, and we demand a real, measurable plan for long-term change.

We, the citizens, are demanding that the Delhi, Haryana and Punjab governments, along with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), take this crisis seriously and come up with an accountable, time-bound strategy to fix it.

We demand an Emergency Response
Take actionable steps including but not limited to:

• Declare air pollution a public health emergency.
• Enforce short-term lockdowns when air quality crosses “severe” levels.
• Ban construction, waste burning, and industrial operations during peak smog periods.
• Strictly control vehicle movement, especially diesel and heavy vehicles.
• Deploy air purifiers and dust suppression systems in critical public zones.
• Intensify checks and penalties for all violators — no exceptions.
• Issue public advisories through TV, radio, and social media on how citizens can stay safe.

And An Accountable, Actionable Plan with clear goals and public reporting
We ask the government to create a comprehensive, science-backed, and publicly accountable roadmap that includes, but is not limited to, the following pillars:

• Set annual targets for reducing air pollution (e.g. 10% improvement per year) — and publish progress reports every quarter.
• Create a transparent air quality dashboard for citizens, showing real-time data and policy impact.
• Support farmers to adopt alternatives to crop burning with financial and technical help.
• Invest heavily in clean public transport — CNG/electric buses, last-mile connectivity, cycling infrastructure.
• Expand green cover and restore water bodies to naturally clean the air.
• Transition industries to cleaner fuels and renewable energy.
• Strengthen regional cooperation so every state is held accountable.
  
  

We’ve been living with this disaster for over a decade. This cannot continue. Clean air is not a privilege — it’s a basic human right.

Sign this petition to demand a Rapid Emergency Response and a Transparent, Measurable Long-Term Plan to clean Delhi-NCR’s air once and for all.

Let’s show our governments that we refuse to accept poisoned air as our reality. The time to act is NOW.