The day after British deputy high commissioner Simon Wilson rapped the Bengal government for failing to tackle the threat of air pollution, Metro hit the streets to see if he had been too harsh. After visiting three key crossroads, we concluded that the diplomat had been too polite. We hold the government responsible for turning the streets into gas chambers, for maiming and claiming lives...

Where: Moulali crossing

When: 11am-11.30am

Why: The RPM (respirable particulate matter) count here touched 241 micrograms per cubic metre of air on February 5-6. The daily permissible limit is 100 micrograms.

What we saw: A greyish-black haze hangs heavy over the congested crossing. Buses and taxis belch smoke.

What we heard: “Breathing in the smoke and dust, my head reels, my eyes water, my throat itches and there is a heaviness in my chest every evening,” says Sanat De, a traffic constable. Ratan Pal, who runs a small roadside shop, bears the brunt of the bad air: “Persistent cough is a big problem and I often have to visit my physician.”

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Where: Picnic Garden Road

When: 12.30pm-1pm

Why: The RPM count was 282 micrograms on February 5.

What we saw: The narrow road crowded with autos, buses and cars was clogged even at a non-peak hour, pushing up emission levels. With multistoreyed buildings on either side, the narrow stretch is like a gas chamber.

What we heard: “My husband has severe asthmatic problems and everyone here is coughing all the time. But we have to live here,” says Brihaspati Moyra, a frail woman selling snacks at a roadside stall.

The headmaster of a local school, Debasish Das, blames the government: “They don’t have any policy in place, they have done nothing regarding conversion to cleaner fuels, and they cannot even rein in the autos.”

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Where: Dunlop crossing

When: 2pm-2.30pm

Why: The RPM count here was 243 micrograms in the first week of February.

What we saw: Smoke-belching lorries and poor traffic management. The smokescreen here is the darkest among the three places.

What we heard: “It’s like hell and it’s only getting worse,” says Sumitra Banerjee, a local resident. “I often cannot sleep at night due to a constant cough,” rues traffic guard Prabir Debnath.