It is that time of the year, the time we all wait almost with waited breath because you do not have to put your AC on to cool the room which burns a hole in your pocket (provided you’re from the great Indian middle class family, because in India there is only middle class, either upper middle class or lower middle class, nobody is rich or poor here.)
Winter is here! Even on ‘Game of Thrones’ and as we all know (at least the fans of the show know) with winter come the Wight Walkers and the Knight King. The great war comes with the winter and possibly humanity will die. Thanks to George R. R. Martin the great war happens when the winter comes only in his books and not in real life or does it? If you have been following the news off late you are not going to enjoy the fact that ‘Winter is here.’
Delhi has been covered in smog, it is a situation which can be declared as ‘public health emergency.’ The schools in the capital have been shut for most part of the past week. On Twitter Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister is pleading with Capt. Amarinder Singh, CM of Punjab to meet and discuss the situation before people die.
Delhi smog is a result of variety of reasons, burning of rice stubble by farmers in Haryana and Punjab and this burning of rice has had an effect without an ounce of doubt, the other factors that are leading to smog in Delhi and adjoining area are large scale construction carried out in and around Delhi. And of course the Diwali festival the bursting of crackers, burning of garbage are some of the other factors.
Delhi smog has led to many voicing out their opinion and if soon enough their voices are not heard the smog will make sure these opinions are choked. This is not the first time that Delhi is covered in smog, it has happened before and it will happen again unless the government decides to act on it. The governments both at the centre and at the state.
Kejriwal is now known to bite more than he can swallow. He tried odd and even twice last year, this year he promised to bring in more buses to boost public transport but Kejriwal failed to keep his promise. He also promised a crackdown on polluting vehicles and stringent checking of pollution under control (PUC) certificates this also remains unfulfilled.
The Delhi government over the weekend decided to sprinkle water across the city in hope that the thick haze of pollutants would settle down. The government has also planned on using the helicopters to do the same, but the smog won because the evil wins always. You cannot fly helicopters in such thick fog.
Life of citizens is at stake including small children. Handing out masks to them and shutting down schools is not the way out. The government needs to wake up before it’s too late. If this is any indication of things to come in the near future, the future is dark and hazy.
The governments along with the citizens need to come up with a great grand plan to fight against the grand smog, maybe Delhi needs a Jon Snow who will unite the Delhi and the neighbouring states and also the central government to fight the smog, because ‘Winter is here!’
