Come November and we all gave a collective gasp quite literally. The air as we knew it, vanished into thin air and in its stead stood this quite easily visible, thick, white smog. At first, unfazed by the haze, some of us ventured out but soon enough we scuttled back into the confines of our homes.
Around Diwali, as is the norm, we all dive into intensive deep- cleaning operations in our homes. Carpets, curtains, and sofas are shampooed or dry-cleaned; cobwebs are removed from nooks and crannies of the walls as well as the mind, hopefully. Cupboards and drawers are relieved of all the excess clothes and trivia. But alas! The air itself was not clean. We thought to ourselves, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow, blow, blow!” However, the bad air surely did not go away.
Nevertheless, besides using conventional Air Purifiers, we resorted to ways and means of combating the ill effects of toxic air. Tabled below are some simple measures that our friends and neighbours practice. 1.Keep windows and doors shut in the early mornings and at night., 2.Keep indoor plants like snake plant, aloe vera, money plant and spider plant. Promote and maintain greenery at the Block level.; 3. Minimise outdoor activity like walking pets etc. It is best done in the afternoons.; 4. Educate household help, Guards and neighbours about the ill effects of burning leaves, garbage and especially old tyres. We need to give our Guards electric heaters/blankets to prevent them from lighting fires to beat the cold.; 5. Remove shoes at the entrance door.; 6.Avoid the use of air fresheners, scented candles and incense sticks. Use essential oils instead.; 7. Keep the house dust free; mop the floor instead of sweeping it.; 8. Vacuum clean rugs/carpets to keep them free of spores and dust mites.
Many thanks to Col Rakesh Chadha (B 63), Avninder Chandok (B 67), Anu Prakash Suri (C 39 GF), and Mukesh Malik (J 42), for their valuable inputs.
We continue to pant through the days, and to rant against the farmers for stubble-burning, and against the apathy of the Civic authorities and Government. It is time to stop fuming against the toxic fumes, and instead contribute our bit towards leaving a breath of clean and fresh air for our own downline.
