Ego to blame as Delhi chokes, says man in viral post: ‘Delhiites won’t give up their SUVs…'

Delhi continues to remain under the grip of toxic air, with the Capital’s air quality today plunging to the ‘very poor’ category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed 400 in several places, and doctors have advised Delhiites to leave the city until pollution levels improve.

The troubling trend is nothing new. Every year, like clockwork, Delhi chokes – and a Reddit user says the problem is “ego.”

A viral post titled “How Ego Is Destroying Delhi Through Pollution” attributes the crisis not merely to industries, stubble burning, or vehicles, but to a deeper human flaw — ego.

“Every year like clockwork, we all pretend to be shocked that Delhi turns into a post-apocalyptic gas chamber,” wrote one Reddit user. “Farmers don’t want to be told what to do. Politicians don’t want to admit failure or coordinate. Delhiites won’t give up their SUVs or crackers. Everyone wants to be right instead of responsible. Ego > Oxygen.”

The post has resonated with thousands online, capturing the growing frustration of citizens who feel stuck in an annual loop of blame and inaction. Many commenters shared the view that Delhi’s air crisis is not merely a technical issue but a social and political one — a “collective refusal to change” despite the visible health consequences.

15% of deaths in Delhi in 2023 linked to air pollution, study finds

Air pollution remained the biggest health risk for people in Delhi in 2023, contributing to nearly 15 per cent of all deaths, according to an analysis of the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data.

Researchers at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), who examined the data, said that despite year-to-year variations, deaths caused by particulate matter pollution have stayed consistently high — often surpassing those related to hypertension or diabetes.

“Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a public health crisis that demands science-based action across polluting sectors to achieve real and measurable pollution reduction,” said Manoj Kumar, analyst at CREA.

He added, “Unless Delhi's air quality improves substantially, the health burden from pollution-related diseases, especially respiratory illnesses, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer, will continue to rise.”

The data revealed that deaths linked to air pollution rose from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023, meaning one in every seven deaths in the city was connected to toxic air.

However, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that while air pollution is indeed a concern, it cannot be isolated as the sole cause of mortality.

“Health is determined by several variables, including food habits, occupational exposure, socio-economic conditions, medical history, immunity, heredity and environmental factors,” he said.