At the Right to Breathe Rally

When I opted to be part of the right to breathe rally at the Leisure Valley today, little did I know that there would be so many people at the venue. I had taken my nephew Aadi with me hoping that he too would learn about the importance of spreading awareness about pollution and good it was!

It felt really great to see so many people gathered at Leisure Valley to campaign about the deadly air-pollution that has had Delhi NCR in its choking grip. It has become apparent that it is only the people of the country who can rise to the challenge and bring about a change in society. The problem of air pollution can only be solved through advocacy, awareness and education. The smog that we have been witnessing in Gurgaon lately, I learned from the rally, is the result of many factors. While stubble-burning continues to be a major cause, there are many other factors such as unpaved dusty roads, burning of garbage, construction work, and of course burning of garbage. Even garbage disposal is an important factor that ends up in deadly smog. Gurgaon incidentally has a very poor garbage disposal system. The decaying organic waste sends clouds of toxic gases like methane gas and other allergens into the air. 

What I witnessed today at the Leisure Valley in Gurgaon is an indication that the common people have had enough of government inaction against air pollution. This so far peaceful campaign could lead to further agitation by the common people who are fed up with the poor quality of life in Delhi NCR. They will not stop from taking steps to bring pollution under control. Examples of people rising to the occasion, building roads, putting out garbage fires when the fire-engines took too long to reach the fire and even collecting garbage are becoming more and more common. Even raising voices of concern, organizing rallies and campaigns matter today.

It was a pleasant surprise, moreover to see Tushar, my student holding the school banner high in the air. I was taken aback, initially to see so many people wearing gas-masks similar to the ones people wore during the second world war in the battle of Britain. One hopes that things might never lead to the wearing of gas masks, after all, we are not living in times when Chlorine gas was used break the deadlock between two different armies.