As Delhi continues to gasp under hazardous air pollution levels, author and entrepreneur Suhel Seth and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi have publicly expressed their frustration over the government’s inaction.
Seth, who has been vocal about the worsening air quality, posted a sharp critique on X (formerly Twitter), saying authorities are turning a blind eye to the crisis.
“The truth is no one gives a monkey’s toss about pollution. From the Chief Justice to the Chief Minister. It’s strange. They can see but they don’t want to act. What a dystopian world we live in,” he wrote, as the national capital once again recorded alarming AQI figures this week.
Meanwhile, Kiran Bedi’s timeline has turned into a constant reminder of Delhi’s choking air. The former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry has been sharing multiple posts tagged as “Feedback post,” urging authorities to take urgent measures.
In her latest post, shared about 11 hours ago, she reposted a Down To Earth cartoon showing two patients in a hospital — one suffering from toxic air exposure and another beaten up for simply demanding clean air. She captioned it, “Another feed,” with the hashtag “pollution”.
Despite a slight dip in pollution levels earlier this week, Delhi woke up to an AQI of 385 — categorised as “very poor”. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has lifted GRAP III restrictions across Delhi-NCR, but residents are still coping with severe breathing conditions as the air quality fluctuates between “very poor” and “severe”.
Bedi has also called upon the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to intervene with “proactive” and stronger solutions. In a post dated November 27, she described the situation as “agonising” and “depressing”.
“I live in Indirapuram, and the AQI is 587 right now. I have not sent my child to school in spite of the teachers’ messages. I have written a firm email to the principal. Whatever is in my area of control, I will do that,” one of her posts read, highlighting how families are making difficult choices to protect their children.
Earlier, on November 25, she shared that toxic air has “severely” impacted her own health — echoing the concerns of millions across Delhi-NCR who remain confined indoors.
Despite recurring attention to the crisis every winter, both Seth and Bedi’s messages reflect a growing sentiment among citizens — that the fight for clean air in the national capital is still far from over.
