As Delhi’s air quality plummeted to hazardous levels this week, crossing the 400-mark in several areas, the city’s pollution crisis has begun to drive life-changing decisions. Among them is a striking example that has stirred nationwide debate, the resignation of a top government officer due to Delhi’s toxic air.
Entrepreneur Akshat Shrivastava, Founder of Wisdom Hatch, revealed on Saturday that his wife, an Indian Economic Service (IES) officer who secured All India Rank 8 in the UPSC examination, has resigned from her prestigious Group A position. The couple cited the city’s worsening air quality and its impact on their young son as the primary reasons behind the move.
In a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), Shrivastava wrote, “My wife got UPSC Rank 8th. She was a Group A service officer (Indian Economic Service). For most of her career, she would be in Delhi. Looking at the pollution situation, and our young son, she decided to quit.”
Calling the decision “difficult but necessary,” Shrivastava said they have “absolutely no regrets.”
“None of the governments give a shit. Citizens are mostly brainwashed. And the onus is on you to save yourself,” he added, urging people to take individual action, whether by relocating or making lifestyle changes, to protect their families from Delhi’s worsening air, as quoted by Business Today.
The post quickly went viral, resonating with thousands of social media users amid growing anger over the capital’s unrelenting smog. While many described the move as a “reality check,” others pointed out that relocating or quitting jobs due to pollution is a privilege not everyone can afford.
Environmental experts have long warned that Delhi’s toxic air, which frequently hovers in the “severe” or “very poor” category for days, poses grave health risks, especially to children, the elderly, and those with respiratory illnesses. Prolonged exposure can lead to asthma, heart disease, and reduced lung function, among other complications, reported Business Today.
On November 8, residents woke up to another day of suffocating smog as pollution levels crossed the 400-mark in several parts of the capital. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 361 at 4 pm, classified as “very poor”, making it the second most polluted city in India that day, Business Today reported, Business Today reported.
As debates around personal responsibility, privilege, and government accountability intensify, Shrivastava’s revelation has reignited the conversation about the human toll of Delhi’s annual pollution crisis, one that continues to choke not just its air but also its citizens’ quality of life.
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