Is Poison In The Air Going To Be Doubled? How The Aravalli Hills Crisis Could Make Your Lungs Pay the Price

As winter sets in across northern India, air pollution has once again spiralled into a dangerous public-health emergency. Delhi has been reporting Air Quality Index (AQI) in the severe to hazardous zone,

with smog so thick it has disrupted travel and sent thousands to hospitals for breathing difficulties.Amid this crisis, scientists and environmentalists are warning of a less-visible but deeply concerning threat: the chopping of the Aravallis, one of North India’s oldest mountain ranges, which plays a crucial role in regulating regional air quality.

Why the Aravallis matter for your health

Often referred to as the “green lungs” of the Delhi–NCR region, the Aravalli Range acts as a natural barrier that helps filter air, trap dust, reduce wind-blown particulates and support local ecosystems. This vegetation helps break down carbon dioxide and slow down the spread of dust and pollutants from arid regions like the Thar Desert into the plains where millions live.However, recent regulatory changes, including a controversial re-definition of what qualifies as protected Aravalli land, risk stripping legal safeguards from more than 90% of the range. Without protection, mining companies, developers, and construction projects could open up large parts of the hills, destroying forest cover and creating more dust, particulate matter, and pollution sources.

Health impacts: More pollution, worse outcomes

The science on air pollution and health is clear: tiny particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and trigger a cascade of serious conditions including:

• Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular stress
• Lung cancer and other long-term respiratory illnesses
• Aggravated symptoms in children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions

In regions bordering the Aravallis, people already report higher rates of respiratory infections, asthma flare-ups, chest tightness, eye irritation and hospital admissions during peak pollution seasons.

The bigger picture

Destroying critical green infrastructure like the Aravallis doesn’t just mean more dust, it means losing a natural ally in the fight against toxic air. With stubble burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollution already overwhelming city atmospheres every winter, removing this ecological buffer could push air quality into new levels of danger, with direct consequences for breathing, heart health, child development, and overall longevity.