The plunging air quality in Delhi-NCR has left Esha Gupta appalled. The actor, who hails from Delhi, wonders why no preventive steps were taken by authorities all year round
“The issue of air pollution and smog is not just restricted to Delhi, but it is the whole north India pollution issue. The air quality is as such,” says Gupta, who hails from the national capital.
The 36-year-old adds, “It is just sad that instead of taking preventative measures all around the year, our nation leaders are only reacting when it’s unbreathable air. The crop burning is adding to it and has been the leading factor to such high AQI along with the vehicle waste”.
Here, she asserts on the need to find an alternative to stubble burning. She says, “There is an alternative to stubble burning, which is called — Bio Enzyme-PUSA. The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has come up with a solution for stubble burning called PUSA. With the process, we can spray the enzyme on the crops, and this enzyme decomposes the stubble in 20-25 days, turning it into manure. This can be provided by the government to every farmer for free”.
As an actor, she feels responsible to raise her voice and pitch in to initiate conversation about climate change.
“When you are blessed to have a voice, and are ready to be heard by many large groups, then making people aware of a better peaceful life is somewhere our responsibility. I’m here to fulfil that duty that I’m not bound to, but ought to fulfil to leave a better world for the next generations,” says Gupta, who was recently appointed as an ambassador for Sealegacy, joining names such as Bryan Adams, Aidan R Gallaher and Hillary Swank.
Expressing her worries, she continues, “Climate change is a reality and for far too long we are ignoring the alarming signs in front of us… I want to use my platform and voice to help the planet heal. Marine life is also at stake and we need as many voices as possible to be heard by the world leaders. The national capital is also going through its own climate crisis. I feel a few years of conscious work will change things. We have the inherent duty to protect our planet and help the next generation sustain”.
In fact, she is also making environmentally friendly choices in her everyday life. “I only use a bucket to take a bath. Unless I have no choice, showers are avoided at all costs. Also, reusing bottles, and recycling is the way to go for me. These are some changes which I implement in my day to day life,” she says while wrapping up.