Noida, November 30, 2025
In a poignant cry for cleaner air, a Noida-based mother and content creator has gone viral after sharing a video of her young son undergoing surgery, attributing the ordeal directly to the toxic haze engulfing Delhi-NCR. Sakshi Pahwa's emotional post has amassed over 1.8 million views on Instagram, sparking widespread outrage and calls for urgent action against the region's worsening pollution crisis.
Pahwa, who relocated to Noida two years ago, described how her son's health rapidly deteriorated upon arrival in the pollution-choked National Capital Region (NCR). What began as persistent colds, relentless coughs, and severe allergies escalated into chronic breathing difficulties. "No medicine worked, only pollution kept getting worse," she recounted in her Instagram caption, revealing that her child's adenoids and tonsils had reached stage 4 severity, necessitating emergency surgery in recent days.
The video captures heart-wrenching moments: Pahwa's toddler sobbing uncontrollably on a hospital bed as medical staff prepare him for the procedure, followed by a tender clip of the mother cradling her masked child in her arms. "Delhi NCR pollution didn’t just affect the air we breathe… it pushed my little one into surgery," Pahwa wrote. "We pay taxes… and this is what our kids get in return. It’s time to speak up."
The post has resonated deeply, transforming personal anguish into a collective alarm bell. Bollywood actor Richa Chadha, a vocal advocate for environmental causes, reacted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "This breaks my heart as a parent. Pollution doesn't discriminate—it hits kids, the elderly, even animals the hardest. Where are the solutions?" Her comment amplified the video's reach, drawing in thousands of shares and empathetic responses.
Netizens echoed similar tales of woe. One Instagram user lamented, "Only a massive protest can save our country from pollution," while a doctor commented, "As doctors, it’s inhumane for him and many other children!" On X, parents shared parallel experiences: "Same story here. My kid developed upper respiratory issues... Continuous antibiotics broke his body. In the end, same adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy. We were so helpless."
This incident unfolds against a grim backdrop of Delhi-NCR's annual winter smog battle. The Air Quality Index (AQI) averaged 348 in the first half of November—the lowest for that period in three years—before spiking to 428 on November 11, marking the first "severe" air day of 2025. Multiple monitoring stations recorded readings above 400, driven by stagnant weather, vehicular exhaust, construction dust, and lingering stubble-burning smoke from neighboring states.
Experts have long warned that children are particularly vulnerable to such pollutants, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) infiltrating developing lungs and exacerbating respiratory conditions like adenoiditis and tonsillitis. "What we're seeing is a public health emergency disguised as seasonal haze," noted environmental analyst Dr. Anjali Singh in a recent report, urging stricter enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Pahwa's story has not only humanized the statistics but also fueled demands for systemic change. As the NCR grapples with school closures and odd-even vehicle restrictions, her plea underscores a growing frustration: How long can families endure breathing poison? With winter just beginning, the call to "speak up" is louder than ever.
For More News Updates Follow Us On Www.tconews.in
