Nearly 1,500 children from Delhi-NCR joined the national movement for clean air and pledged to take positive steps to achieve it. The occasion was the inaugural edition of Good Air Summit organised by the Integrated Health & Wellbeing (IHW) Council at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, on November 13.
Among those present were Justice Swatanter Kumar, former chairman of the National Green Tribunal, Director-General Dr Ajay Mathur of The Energy and Resources Institute and Dr AK Agarwal, Chairman of Motherland International Foundation.
“On a day when most people preferred staying indoors, small children braved all challenges, came here and pledged to work for environment. I believe kids will be instrumental in bringing about a positive change in our collective consciousness towards the environment,” said CEO Kamal Narayan, IHW Council.
“There are many sources of air pollution that affect both outdoor and indoor air quality, including widespread construction activity, burning of waste and crops, and vehicular pollution. Plastic burning gives rise to many carcinogenic gases. Almost 70 per cent of Delhi is bumper to bumper due to cars... Why can’t we have destination buses or incentives for people who do away with the old vehicles? My message to all of you is, please rise to the occasion. Clean air is the right of every citizen,” said Justice Kumar, addressing the children.
The Summit was the culmination of a year-long drive to sensitise people, particularly students, about the need to adopt environment-friendly lifestyles. Students from 17 educational institutions attended it. Ten students were also awarded the title of ‘Young Ambassadors of Good Air’ on the occasion.
Studies done by the Indian Council of Medical Research show that air pollution caused one in eight deaths in India last year, besides lowering the average life expectancy by 1.7 years. The Good Air Movement, a nationwide drive to mobilise public action towards cleaner environment, aims to cover the entire country by 2025.