Breathing Battles: A Mumbai Patient’s Fight Against Pollution
Chapter 1: The City That Never Sleeps, Nor Lets You Breathe
Amrita Sen had always loved Mumbai—the city of dreams, of endless energy, of never-ending rush. But over the past few years, her love for the city had started feeling like a toxic relationship. Quite literally.
At 38, Amrita was a marketing executive, juggling deadlines, traffic, and an ever-growing to-do list. What she didn’t realize was that something invisible was slowly tightening its grip around her life—air pollution.
Every morning, as she stepped out of her Andheri apartment, she felt a tightness in her chest. The familiar scent of vada pav and sea breeze was now mixed with something more sinister—smog. She brushed it off. “Just stress,” she told herself. “Maybe I need to start yoga.”
But things got worse. The occasional cough turned into a chronic wheeze. Climbing the stairs left her breathless. Nights became a struggle—she would wake up gasping, feeling as if someone had placed a rock on her chest.
Still, she ignored it. “Mumbai air is always bad, right?” she reasoned. Until one evening, when her body finally gave up.
Chapter 2: The Ambulance Ride
It was a regular Monday. Amrita had just wrapped up a long day at work and was walking towards her cab when the world around her spun. A sharp pain shot through her chest. She clutched her throat, struggling to draw in air. The honking cars blurred into a haze. Someone shouted. Someone called an ambulance.
By the time she reached the hospital, her oxygen levels had dropped dangerously low. The doctor’s verdict was clear—she was suffering from severe respiratory distress, triggered by air pollution.
“How long have you been feeling like this?” the doctor asked.
“For months,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
“You’re lucky,” the doctor sighed. “Another delay, and this could have turned fatal.”
Chapter 3: The Reality Check
Lying on the hospital bed, an oxygen mask covering her face, Amrita finally accepted the truth—her city was making her sick.
She scrolled through her phone, researching. The statistics shocked her:
- Mumbai’s air quality had worsened dramatically over the past five years.
- 70% of Mumbai residents suffered from some form of respiratory issue.
- The pollution levels in certain areas were as bad as Delhi’s on a bad day.
Amrita had always thought pollution was just about smoke-belching trucks and dusty roads. But it was more than that—construction dust, industrial emissions, even the burning garbage at dumping grounds like Deonar. It was in the very air she breathed, in every sigh, in every hurried inhale as she rushed to catch a train.
Chapter 4: The Fight Back
Amrita knew she couldn’t move out of Mumbai. Her job, her family, her entire life was here. But she could fight back.
She started small—switching to an N95 mask while commuting, keeping air-purifying plants at home, and using an air purifier in her apartment.
Then, she went bigger. She began writing about air pollution, sharing her story on social media. She joined local activism groups fighting for cleaner air. She petitioned for stricter regulations on construction dust. She encouraged her company to adopt hybrid work models to reduce commuting emissions.
Slowly, she found others like her—parents worried about their kids’ lungs, senior citizens struggling with asthma, runners who could no longer jog in the morning. Together, they demanded change.
Chapter 5: The City Listens
A year later, Mumbai wasn’t perfect, but things had started to shift. Local authorities began cracking down on illegal construction dust. More companies introduced remote work policies to reduce traffic pollution. Green spaces were being restored.
As Amrita stood at Marine Drive one evening, feeling the salty breeze on her face, she took a deep breath.
For the first time in a long time, she didn’t cough.
The Message: Amrita’s story isn’t just hers. It’s the story of millions of Mumbaikars. Air pollution is an invisible enemy, but we don’t have to surrender. Small actions—wearing a mask, using public transport, pushing for policies—can create a healthier city for everyone.
Mumbai is the city of dreams. Let’s make sure it’s a city where we can all breathe, too.
Share this story. Spread awareness. Fight for clean air.
