Representative image shwoing greenery.
Credit: iStock Photo
In a unique show of unity and to seek their right to breathe clean air, over hundred pan-India based organisations, bolstered by the support of celebrities, parliamentarians, and citizens have joined hands to form a virtual human chain this International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on September 7.
A virtual human chain involves citizens concerned about the quality of air they are breathing uploading a selfie image on a dedicated website or social media platform in solidarity with International Day of Clean Air.
The virtual human chain has found support and participation from actor and India’s United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza, Rajya Sabha MP from Pune Vandana Chavan, Justice (retd) Anjana Prakash, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, India Earth 2021 Jaspreet Kaur Sobti, along with over 800 people who have shared their selfies with the hashtag #TogetherForCleanAir.
The campaign #TogetherForCleanAir, based on the theme for the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Sky, is being led by the Clean Air Collective. The Collective is a coalition of around 150 members a diverse set of people and organisations from across India, committed to raising awareness about air pollution and taking collective action to improve air quality.
Brikesh Singh, Convenor of Clean Air Collective shared that the idea behind having a virtual human chain was to try and send the message that irrespective of whether it is Nagpur or Pune or any corner of Maharashtra, air pollution impacts everyone.
“This collective effort of addressing air pollution is taking on a new form one that emphasises on the collective responsibility of society and innovative approach and its potential impact to achieve cleaner air,” he said.
Gaurav Gogoi, MP and Convener of the Parliamentarians Group for Clean Air (PGCA), shared that while we observe the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, the growing levels of air pollution needs our collective attention and there is an urgent need to tackle this issue as a cohesive force.
Poonam Sanas, coordinator of ASHA workers in Shivaji Nagar, Pune said that there was a need to inform every household across all communities of the serious health consequences of air pollution.
“Campaigns like Together for Clean Air need to be held more frequently so that more and more people not only understand but also speak about the health issue of air pollution thus joining in the fight to mitigate air pollution,” she said.