About Warriors Who Fight for Clean Air
Clean air to breathe and clean water to drink is no more available for us. All these days we were taking them for granted. Don’t you think the time to act for protecting our environment is far gone? Here is a group of people who tries to make their steps in bringing the big change. It is not that simple, but at least the minutest of our actions do really count. Let’s see things from their perspective encourage them to do more and try to add our little help with them.
Here we have Anuja Bali Karthikeyan a Special Educator, Counselor, Teacher, Mentor, and Warrior Mom. What you see next is her words explaining the concerns and actions from the team Warrior Mom.
1. Let’s start with Warrior Moms. It is apparent that the motive is to fight for clean air, but I would like you to discuss the inspiration behind such a movement.
The Inspirations are children, they are our future! We are mothers for clean air, who are concerned about our children’s health, well being and future. Since children cannot fight for their own right to breathe clean air, mothers from all over the country have come together to do the same. Air Pollution is an invisible killer and the right time to demand clean was yesterday. We are already late. It’s an emergency now.
2. Even though a father can be a part of your team, why did you decide to name it “Warrior Moms”?
It is well known that a mother is the best protector of her child, she can jump in a blazing fire to save her child. Hence, the name is symbolic and inclusive. Warrior Moms represent the nurturing spirit that has abundant compassion and unconditional love, at the same time can be the fearless warrior, who will go above and beyond all limits to protect her children. Of course, fathers are most welcome to be part of our movement but we feel that women need to be empowered and awakened to their hidden potential so they can take strong action and demand clean air.
3. What all activities do you plan to implement to ensure the WHO air quality standards all over India?
There are standards, norms, data, research, studies about the looming dangers of air pollution but the biggest missing link is the government’s intent to implement. WHO standard air quality is a beautiful but distant dream, nevertheless we want to make it a reality for our future generations. It’s a continuous quest to ensure timely and correct implementation of the laws, educate and empower people about their rights and duty as alert citizens with our campaign #KnowYourRights. It is important to bust myths related to the various sources of indoor as well as outdoor #AirPollution and highlight the serious health implications, especially on mothers and children. It has been an uphill task asking municipal corporations to correctly follow Solid Waste Management (SWM) practices. We want enforcement and that’s done with silent protests, reminders, photos and videos shared by individuals and RWAs as there is a huge gap between the laws and actual implementation. Due to the lack of proper waste segregation, landfills have grown in size and numbers, testimony of increased human carelessness. Our ask has been for the Thermal Power Plants to comply with the government norms #NoExtensionsToPolluters. We are encouraging the urban poor and rural population to move to cleaner cooking alternatives and stop biomass burning with #ChulhaFreeIndia. Warrior Moms are advocating for sustainable cities for our children by asking for more electric vehicles and better public transport systems, last mile connectivity and safe cycling lanes to reduce vehicular emissions. Our goal is to ensure that evidence based scientific and sustainable solutions are put in place.
4. In metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, etc. air pollution and related breathing diseases are neglected to an alarming level. How much impact have Warrior Moms been able to produce so far in bringing a change to this pathetic situation?
Many Warrior Moms from Delhi/NCR has been actively protesting against the unscientific, unsuccessful non solutions such as Waste to Energy plants and Smog Towers. They have been voicing against the landfills in that region, tree cutting and such activities that are disturbing the ecological balance of the Aravallis. Our objective is to make sure that the authorities take action and enforcement happens. We came up with #KnowYourRights SOPs because many people were asking us what to do when they saw a tree getting cut or firecrackers being burst despite the ban or waste burning. With the SOPs they now know how and where to complain and they also tag us so in case no action has been taken, we can follow up and ask for action. You see, as mothers, we are also common citizens, we can’t do any magic. But we all have a shared goal for our children to breathe in clean air. Only the authorities can do the magic, we will keep demanding and reminding them to take action and penalise the polluters.
Only when people lodge complaints on the Pollution Control Board portal, will they be compelled to take action. Warrior Moms are just about 15 months old and we have miles to go … it will be a long journey towards our lofty goal.
5. Apart from Air quality, our kids are suffering from other mental and physical health issues where awareness needs to be brought. Will Warrior Moms take more matters into consideration?
Studies have proven that air pollution impacts all the organs in our body, including our brain. This is a public health emergency. The climate crisis is also causing a tremendous amount of anxiety in youth. We are fighting for our students, young children, babies, and even unborn babies. They have been a focus of our campaigns #FreeToPlayOutside, where parents wrote poems expressing how important it is for their children to play outdoors and #ChokingChildrensDay, where we shared postcards written by school children to the Prime Minister asking for clean air. Air pollution and climate change are interconnected. The only thing that can help this angst will be the government’s intent to take action and timely investment in earth friendly, scientific solutions.
6. Does enforcing the law help you achieve your goal of maintaining good air quality? If yes, how long do you think will see the changes happening in a positive way?
Enforcing the law is one part and behaviour change is the other part of the puzzle. Both these are complex as well as time consuming. Most important is to be undefeated and keep taking baby steps ahead towards achieving the big goal. We want the air quality index (AQI) to be #SaalBhar60 but the reality is glaring at us in 3 digits AQI reaching 900 and above on the worst days. Out of the 100 most polluted cities in the world, 46 are in India and you may be living in one of them. Just imagine, New Delhi has been the most polluted capital in the world. This would give you an idea of the magnanimity of this clean air task. Unless and until every parent demands their children’s right to breathe clean air, it won’t be an easy change to see. Recently I heard this: the government will listen to the parents because they are the vote banks.
7. What are some of the basic laws that every Indian citizen should be aware of regarding the quality of the air we breathe?
Right to Life, Article 21 is the most important and basic law that every Indian citizen must know regarding the quality of the air we breathe. ‘Life’ in Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to live with human dignity, Right to health, Right to pollution-free water and air, Right to clean environment, and so on.
8. I believe that every individual has the responsibility to do their part. What is your advice to the coming generation so that they can contribute their part in reducing pollution?
What I am sharing here is good for school and college students to adopt a sustainable zero waste lifestyle because they are still learning. Adults must bring in immediate behaviour change. They must unlearn the myths from yesteryears. Burning cleanses air is a myth. If we really care for clean air, we must not burn anything. Be it candles, wood, plastic, tires, leaves, BBQ, or even funeral pyre. It will be great service to mother earth if we embrace clean energy in the form of electric vehicles including public transport, opt for cycling or walking in nearby areas, use sustainable menstruation products such as cups or reusable cloth napkins, carry your own bags & cutlery and stop using any single use plastic. Shop local instead of ordering online. For events, use bartan banks instead of creating single use waste. Stop food waste, call the helpline and feed the hungry if you have surplus food after a party. Recycle leftovers into new dishes. Always segregate waste into dry, wet, e-waste, and biohazard. Use wet waste from the kitchen to make compost, it is black gold. Never ever throw e-waste or sanitary waste mixed with dry or wet waste.
By using balloons for decorating, you are killing animals and birds. Reuse, Repair, Repurpose. Swap your used items or donate to the needy. Don’t buy new until it is an urgent need. Whatever you throw goes to the landfill. Grow trees, not mountains of waste. Water is precious, we have less than 1% drinking water, use it wisely. Cities like Chennai have no groundwater left. Very soon more cities will suffer the same fate. Electricity in our homes and offices is dirty, it comes from burning fossil fuels in the form of coal, so make sure to switch off when not using your gadgets. Even for the last rites of your loved ones, choose an electric crematorium and use the ashes to plant a sapling in their honour. Reduce your carbon footprint as much as you can on an everyday basis. There are free apps to keep track of your carbon footprint. Only when we change our polluting choices, can we ever breathe clean air.
Despite our best efforts, it is important to remember that individual contributions will not make much of a difference. What WILL be the game changer is the government policy and decisions to implement laws to save the environment and guarantee our children a future. When the government mandates eco-friendly, zero waste wares to be subsidised and affordable for all and when single use plastic gets banned and is heavily taxed & not easily available, when people prefer the convenience of public transport instead of polluting diesel vehicles, when solar energy will brighten every urban and rural home — that’s when we will embark on a journey with clean beginnings.