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Protesters Detained at Kartavya Path as Delhi’s Air Pollution Crisis Deepens

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Citizens and students protesting Delhi’s hazardous air quality were detained at Kartavya Path after police blocked a march at India Gate, raising concerns over civil liberties.

On 9 November, around 5 p.m., students, citizens, and environmental activists gathered at Kartavya Path to protest the worsening air quality in Delhi. The demonstration, announced as an open call by individual organisers, drew support from groups such as the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Himakhand, and several other collectives.

The protest came amid a sharp spike in air pollution across Delhi, with AQI levels crossing 400 in several areas, categorised as severe by SAFAR. This rise has been accompanied by a surge in respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly. Protesters demanded greater accountability from the Delhi government and urgent measures to address the public health crisis.

Organisers said police prevented the demonstration from being held at India Gate, citing the absence of official permission. Protesters then moved to Kartavya Path. According to a report by Scroll, one organiser alleged that they had been warned days earlier that an FIR might be filed against them if they proceeded without a permit.

Police detained several people, including women, minors, and media personnel. Protesters reported being “thrashed around and dragged”, and many were injured. While female constables were present at the site, protesters claimed they were not present in the buses during detention—even when women were being transported.

Those detained described being driven around in buses before being taken to a police station, where they were allegedly kept in an open area resembling a “baseball court”. They said they were repeatedly asked for identification, which they refused to provide, and were threatened with legal consequences. Detainees were released around 11:30 p.m. after police recorded their names.

Even after the initial detentions, protesters regrouped for a second demonstration demanding the release of those held. These protesters were also detained, and, according to one account, later released near the Delhi border. Some participants noted that another protest,  for stray dogs, was taking place at the same time and location, yet saw no comparable police action.

Meanwhile, ANI quoted DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla as saying that Jantar Mantar is the designated site for protests, not India Gate. Protesters contested this, arguing that the designated site is heavily barricaded, inaccessible to the public, and that permission to protest there is routinely denied.

The events of 9 November underscore growing public anger over Delhi’s hazardous air, malfunctioning pollution monitors, and the perceived inaction of authorities. With respiratory illnesses rising and protective measures out of reach for many, the city’s toxic air continues to raise serious concerns about public health and quality of life.

Read More: NEP’s Three-Language Formula for Schools

Photo credits:  Muhammad Shahamath, Maktoob

Reva Rawat

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DUB News

Hindu College Develops Hybrid Air Disinfection Machine To Tackle Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis

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In response to the air pollution crisis in the National Capital Region, Hindu College has launched a high-efficiency technological solution to alleviate its impact.

The startup cell of Delhi University’s Hindu College has unveiled a hybrid air disinfection machine to combat the worsening air quality in Delhi. According to an official statement issued on Monday, November 6, this machine targets both air pollution and air pollutants, including other infectious agents. During testing at the Shriram Institute for Industrial Research in Delhi, the air purifying machine, created by physicist Lalit Kumar in partnership with a team of students, showed an impressive 99% effectiveness in killing indoor air viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

The machine has been created as a one-stop solution for air pollution and airborne pathogens. This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the self-reliant India campaign.

– Commented Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College.

Ionuva Innovations LLP, a Hindu College startup, was reportedly selected as one of the Super-25 startups at a recent conclave organised by Udhmoya Doundation, the University of Delhi’s startup ecosystem, in collaboration with Samarth Bharat and the Career Development Centre (CDC), where they showcased their solution to the significant issue.

This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’ or the ‘Self-reliant India’ campaign, which is the vision of the new India envisioned by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

– Read a press released by the University.

In March 2022, Hindu College established its first start-up with the invention of a machine resembling a microwave and equipped with Ultraviolet-C (UVC) tubes capable of disinfecting a variety of objects.

This machine is capable of inactivating 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses, yeast and mould within a minute of exposure. It works by destroying the RNA and DNA strands of virus and bacteria.

– claimed Dr. Kumar.

Under the Business Blasters’ initiative of the Delhi Government, two students from Delhi Government schools undertook the task of painting the disinfecting machine, available in the market for Rs. 13,000.

Read also: Natural Ways to Fight the Smog

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Photo Archive

Manvi Goel
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Bazinga

Bazinga: Colleges Must Install Air Purifiers, says DU

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The Students’ Welfare Committee (SWC) that met last week has decided to install air purifiers in the colleges to assure a pollution-free space for students in times of acute pollution.

 

Delhi has been a gravely polluted space, and it remains so with an alarmingly increasing ratio of pollutants being added into the atmosphere, especially after Diwali celebrations. Even though the Government of Delhi tried to reduce pollution this year, by organising a Diwali celebration and light show in Connaught Place, the results have still been underwhelming. Keeping this in mind, the SWC of the University of Delhi (DU), in its meeting on 1st November, decided to notify all colleges to install air purifiers by the end of the coming month.

This decision was taken after various protests from the students to close colleges, with respect to the pollution in the city were organised throughout the Campus.

“It would not be possible for the colleges to shut down, the University understands the importance of healthcare and values the same, but providing leave to students could lead to the syllabus not being

completed on time and, thus, the Varsity has decided to install air purifiers to ensure that the students’ breath cleaner air,” Bhushan Sarthee Roy, a Committee member, stated.

In the meantime, the Committee has also decided to provide the students with pollution masks at a subsided rate.

Air purifiers are expensive and, thus, this decision was also criticised as the purchase of such a large quantity would not only require additional resources but they also need to be maintained. A memorandum has been sent to the Ministry of Education, with respect to the implementation of the same. Some colleges were not supportive of this decision. “Such a move would mean that the college has to make various changes to accommodate the installation of purifiers.

The Committee has instructed the colleges to bear installation charges and that in turn would reflect on the college fees,” An official, who did not wish to be named, stated. This move has been applauded by many.

“It’s such a relief that DU has decided to install purifiers. It was very difficult to breathe the past week, and many students were suffering from chest pains,” Avantika, a second-year B.A. (Honors) English student at St. Stephen’s College, said.

This move has garnered both negative and positive attention from students and management alike. The news surely comes as a relief to the students as long as the expenses are not added to their term bills.

 

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

 

Featured Image Credits- Global News CA

Stephen Mathew

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Campus Central

Concern Over Unfinished, Dusty Road in Front of Ramjas College

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The construction work in front of Ramjas college, which started a month ago to install sewage lines has been creating problems for the daily commuters. The roads were demolished in order to build proper sewage lines, and were hastily and temporarily repaired recently.  

This temporary and haphazard work done by the authorities is creating problems for the students and teachers alike. All the people suffering from breathing problems such as asthma find it difficult to breathe in the air, which is rife with dust particles. It not only aggravates their breathing, but also adversely affects their health.
Archit Singh, a student from the college suffering from asthma said, “I live in the hostel and I fear to go out of the college because the air is full of dust particles.”
Both asthmatic students and professors faced problems as they were unable to attend lectures resulting in huge loss to academics.

The road is not well-developed and is causing problems for the daily commuters. Veethi Khare, first year student of the college says, “I come to college on foot and the damaged footpath is run all over by the vehicles. This makes it quite difficult for the pedestrians to walk as they have no space left.”

It is also a major concern for the disabled people who face problems in crossing the road.
A PwD student Sumer Ram said, “The authorities are not making the road due to which so many PwD students refrain from coming to college. Blind students face problems in crossing the road.”

A student of Ramjas College, Udbhav Sharma wrote an application to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and highlighted the major concerns pertaining to this issue. He said, “Ramjas is a big college of Delhi University and such broken condition of road does not reflect good on the ambience of the college itself.” He also laid emphasis on the problems that the freshers will face, if the road is not constructed well within time.

 

 

Priya Sharma, a first year history student said, “It’s a shame that the administration has not shown any concern towards this. Even around this time, I didn’t come across any signs of improvement. The road is still in the same old condition. Moreover everybody is supposed to go from the main gate, I mean it’d be nice if they can allow people to enter from the other gates.”

Faculty members of the college appealed to the concerned authorities to take the requisite action. Talking to DU Beat, Principal Manoj Khanna questioned the Delhi Jalboard’s inefficiencies in completing the task on time.

Feature Image Credits: Ramjas College on Instagram (@ramjascollege)

Antriksha Pathania
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