Bengaluru
As the influx of people seeking job opportunities in Bengaluru continues to rise, not everyone finds it easy to adjust to the city’s skyrocketing cost of living and deteriorating environmental conditions. In a revealing social media post, a young entrepreneur couple — Ashwin and Aparna — who had been living in Bengaluru for the past two years, announced their decision to leave the city permanently, citing serious health concerns due to poor air quality.
The couple shared their reasons in a now-viral video posted on the Instagram page ‘Zindagified’, stating that the worsening air pollution in Bengaluru was slowly killing them. The emotional and honest disclosure has sparked widespread discussion online.
“In February, we checked the Air Quality Index (AQI) and were shocked to see it had reached 297. That’s when we knew something was seriously wrong,” the couple said.
“We love Bengaluru. It’s a wonderful city and an ideal place to launch a business. But we had to make a decision before the city consumed us completely.”
Ashwin and Aparna, both former corporate professionals turned entrepreneurs, said they had no choice but to move out for the sake of their well-being. Opening their video message with a stark warning — “You may hate us, but Bengaluru is slowly killing us” — the couple detailed their struggles with respiratory issues and declining health since settling in the city.
“When we first moved to Bengaluru, we believed the air and weather were among the best in the country. But over time, our health started deteriorating,” said Ashwin.
“I developed breathing difficulties and severe allergies I had never experienced before,” he added. Aparna echoed his concerns.
“I had never suffered from colds or fevers before, but here I was constantly sick. I had persistent coughs, nasal congestion, and fever, all of which pointed to something wrong with the air we were breathing,” she said.
The couple emphasized that while they appreciated the city’s vibrancy, business potential, and cosmopolitan culture, they were forced to choose between their careers and their health.
