Bound together by Air but Divided by throughout Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and undivided Punjab in Pakistan are bound together by the thick cloud of smog hovering over. The people are breathing the toxic air which is going to shorten the lives and increase diseases. The horrific accidents on the roads need to serve us as a reminder as to how we are all bound and responsible for the air. But we are all blaming the farmers for the crisis we are all breathing today.
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The hospitals are
overflowing with patients gasping for air. We have been told to keep the
children locked inside as their world has become so dangerous that
sitting inside in front of the idiot box is a healthier option. And the
irony is that this was almost the same situation last year and the year
before that and before. What probably will change next year will be the
severity of the smog. This pessimistic attitude comes from the reactions
of the people who need to step up.
First, the
Centre government, who holds the solution as an issue of national
concern, is not taking action. The tussle between Centre and AAP has
made a mockery of the affairs of Delhi. Centre has managed to win the
battle with AAP but lost the war of new governance of the country.
Similarly, with Punjab, Centre has an issue with Congress and it will
never extend support to farmers of Punjab. In the narrow view of party
politics, BJP forgets it is ruling the country.
The
second player is the populace of affected cities, best represented by
Delhi. Now, this lot has shown no effort to decrease their contribution
to pollution, be it, construction or vehicles/ family or appliances or
even happily adjusting to odd-even formula. This educated-ignorant city
celebrated Diwali with the full fervour with likes of Chetan Bhagat
encouraging the lack of concern for the environment in the name of
religion. BJP spokesperson raised donations and distributed free
crackers in slum areas to promote the spirit of Diwali.
The
spirit of Diwali was about conquering the evil but these so-called
Hindus fail to grasp the basic ideology of their own religion. Their
hearts are so wrecked by hate, that they have become evil for
themselves. They are all living in a gas chamber cursing farmers. And if
the farmers do not provide them with wheat, the country will be forced
to import and these people will curse the system for high costs.
We
can never put a price to the lives lost, but the cost of health
services, accidents, train delays, flight cancellations, business lost
and the negative image will be much larger than the cost of the
solution. But it will need all of us to come together putting behind the
personal, religious and political ideologies and working together for
the air we all breathe. Can we do it or will we face the same crisis in
2018?
