Air pollution: Delhi-based designer starts awareness campaign about use of air masks

To encourage the denizens of the Capital, particularly children to wear anti-pollution masks, a city-based fashion designer has started an awareness drive about the air pollution menace in New Delhi.

‘The Anti-Pollution Riot Campaign’ by designer Gaurav Gupta seeks to find a solution to the problem of air-pollution in the city.

“I wanted to start a movement so that there is more awareness about it. Living in Delhi or anywhere across urban India, we are smoking 20-odd cigarettes just by breathing the air around us. And still I see children and people in general resistant to the idea of wearing masks. This is shocking,” he says.

Gupta has designed 300 odd “Anti-Pollution Riot kits” comprising a t-shirt and a mask, which he says would be sent out to renowned celebrities from different walks of life including fashion, films and theatre, to make the campaign more impactful.

“We are sending out the kits to celebrities. With thousands to millions of followers on social media, we hope that when people see these important faces wearing the t-shirts and masks as part of the campaign, they will stop, see, think and be aware,” he says.

Terming the problem as a “nation-wide emergency”, Gupta says he does not see the awareness drive as a “one-day or one month campaign”, but something that will continue for the next “three to five years”.

“The campaign will evolve. I will be continuously spreading the awareness without any break. Because the problem is nationwide, talking about this problem around Diwali or some other day will get us nowhere,” he says.

The designer, who does not mind collaborating with government organisations in the future, however, believes the movement by such institutions lacks urgency.

“There are government committees that are taking certain actions on this issue, but I feel the action is not urgent enough,” he says.

The campaign will begin on February 22.