Will social media trends like #PledgeAgainstPollution help improve Delhi’s air quality?

On Tuesday, social media users trended the hashtag--#PledgeAgainstPollution--on Twitter, where people from all walks of life promised to work to help reduce pollution.

New Delhi, Nov 14: Thankfully, on Tuesday, air quality in Delhi slightly improved from "hazardous" to "severe" category. But that doesn't mean all is back to normal as the national capital is desperately waiting for rains to clear the pollution level to some extent.

It has been more than a week now since the city is reeling under a thick blanket of smog turning the entire national capital into a "gas chamber" to the consternation of the residents.

While the rise in levels of PM2.5 and PM10 has been attributed to several factors including industrial pollution, vehicular pollution, unabated construction and burning of stubble in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab, one thing is clear if the residents of the national capital are not ready to fight their battle against pollution, then nobody can save them.

Environmental activists say that everyone in the city has to do their bit to fight the scourge of air pollution and bring some semblance in the city. Otherwise, people in Delhi are inhaling deadly air which is causing respiratory diseases, headache, skin irritation, and nausea, to name a few health-related issues over which the citizens are visiting the doctors, these days.

Activists also say that when it comes to protection of the environment and fight against pollution, people are very good at talking and do nothing about it. Thus, many a time all the meetings and campaigns to raise environmental-related issues yield very little. But outreach programmes on pollution and protection of the environment are needed to create awareness among the masses.

On Tuesday, social media users trended the hashtag--#PledgeAgainstPollution--on Twitter, where people from all walks of life promised to work to help reduce pollution.

"These kinds of trends evoke good vibes, but most often such pledges don't show positive results on the ground," said a Bengaluru-based environmental activist.

Here we bring you some tweets under the hashtag--#PledgeAgainstPollution:

I #PledgeAgainstPollution students daily get effected from it. We need to stand against it for better future of india.

— naankhatai (@clamcuckoo) November 14, 2017

Good morning from smog covered Delhi! We all need to do our bit to reduce pollution. Maybe carpool today? #PledgeAgainstPollution @HULPureit

— Vishakha (@vishakhatalreja) November 14, 2017

Life's of school & colleges student is in danger in delhi. A strict action from government is needed at earliest #PledgeAgainstPollution

— Nana Patekar (@NanaPatekarr) November 14, 2017

Schools were shut, offices were closed. What more would it take for people to realize the seriousness of the issue? #PledgeAgainstPollution

— Shoaib Shaikh (@shoaib2095) November 14, 2017

Delhi’s toxic air is shrinking newborns, children are the future of the country, lets pledge to keep them safe #PledgeAgainstPollution @HULPureit

— Ramya (@rgrocks50) November 14, 2017

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