India, Feb. 25 -- For Dulari Gupta, a domestic worker, and Sarvesh Gupta, a security guard, it was a dream come true when their only child, Dipanshu Gupta, secured admission to a prestigious public school in Vasant Vihar under the economically weaker section (EWS) category. But the dream was short-lived. The six-year-old's health worsened during the winter months, and doctors attributed it to severe air pollution. On medical advice, he was sent away from Delhi to live with his grandparents in Meerut.

Deepanshu and his parents' plight highlights a broader concern shared by students and parents across Delhi-NCR, as revealed by a recent study by Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group.

Titled 'Children Under Siege', the cover story...