PANAJI
The deteriorating air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas, including Haryana, has prompted several families to relocate to Goa, turning what was once a holiday destination into their permanent home.
The decision to leave behind familiar surroundings hasn’t been easy for many but relentless air pollution drove many families to take the leap.
“My children couldn't breathe in Delhi. So, I enrolled them in a medical college in Himachal Pradesh to pursue their MBBS. While we managed that, my mother’s respiratory problem worsened. Hence, we moved to Goa with the help of my relatives who are settled in South Goa,” Dr Narendra Srivastava, a resident of Anand Vihar, told The Goan.
Srivastava along with his wife and mother are currently living in a rental apartment. He now intends to either set up his clinic or collaborate with a private hospital to continue his profession. His wife, on the other hand, plans to take a sabbatical before going back to her passion for painting.
Delhi has often remained at the top of the most polluted cities. In January 2024, its pollution levels were recorded at the highest with the average PM2.5 concentration at 206 micrograms per cubic metre.
Moreover, on Tuesday, the air quality index stood at 150 – considered to be unhealthy. “Health effects can be immediately felt by sensitive groups. Healthy individuals may experience difficulty breathing and throat irritation with prolonged exposure. Limit outdoor activity,” an air monitoring portal posted.
This shift to Goa has been gaining traction for past years with an upward trend observed since Covid-19.
Praveena Sharma, a freelance journalist, has been residing in Goa since 2017, courtesy of her husband's job in hospitality that led to a transfer. The family settled in Dona Paula, finding respite from the challenges of Delhi's metro life, including pollution and traffic.
“In early 2017, when my husband, who was then working in Delhi, was informed he could likely get transferred to Goa, our joy knew no bounds. Though Delhi was professionally and culturally a good city to live in, its metro-city woes of pollution, traffic, distances and others were playing havoc with our quality of life... The opportunity to move to Goa seemed godsend and we grabbed it with both hands,” Sharma said.
The Goan has also come across several families who have not only settled into their new homes but have also embarked on entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in the coastal belt.
“The work-from-home concept offered by some companies has benefitted a large section of working people. Moreover, some have retired, some have moved their businesses to Goa and some are self-employed,” another family, currently living in Dona Paula’s posh locality, said.
“The weather and the air pollution in Goa is comparatively better than Delhi, NCR and most parts of North India,” said another.
Ex-CMO Micromax Subhajit Sen stated that Goa is evolving into a desirable global city. “In some ways, Goa is becoming a decent choice as a global city even though it doesn’t have big city vibes,” he posted on X.
Another X user Ashis Basu, based in Canada, raised concern about the government’s inaction towards curbing the pollution. “Many of the “pollution migrants” as they are being called, are heading to Goa, a popular holiday destination with long beaches and palm trees, that has become a magnet for people fleeing Delhi’s air. China has reduced air pollution, why not India,” he questioned.
