‘Clean Air for Ghaziabad’- DLF Public School Partners with the Lung Care Foundation

While the world is trying to adapt to the ‘New Normal’, DLF Public School organized a webinar for school students across Ghaziabad on the issue of ‘Air Pollution and the Role of Youth in Achieving Clean Air’ in partnership with the Lung Care Foundation as part of its Compassionate Ghaziabad Initiative. It was an attempt to bring clean air to the Ghaziabad city by empowering students through the B.E.S.T Clubs (Breathe Easy Stay Tough), an initiative of the Lung Care Foundation. Over 1000 of students, teachers and School Leaders of more than 40 schools across Ghaziabad got together and enthusiastically pledged to clean the air in the Ghaziabad city through these B.E.S.T Clubs (Breathe Easy Stay Safe) which are part of the Project SHAN (Saaf Hawa Aur Naagrik). Lung Care Foundation who will support these clubs will train and empower the school students to deal with the Air Pollution issues of Ghaziabad city. The seminar kept the students engaged and responsive and the chat box was full of never-ending thoughtful questions. Under the inspiring leadership of the school Principal Seema Jerath, the school has been consciously working on Compassionate Ghaziabad Initiatives that was kickstarted by its students and alumni to make the world a better place to live in. Mitigating Air Pollution is one of the strands of DLF Public School’s Compassionate Ghaziabad Initiative through which the school envisions to transform Ghaziabad city into a Compassionate city using concrete practical actions. ‘No magical policy from the government can control air pollution. Only the young leaders of change can lead the movement to bring the change’, said Prof. (Dr.) Arvind Kumar, Chairman –Centre for Chest Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Founder Trustee – Lung Care Foundation. ‘SHAN (Saaf Hawa Aur Nagrik) intiative has been launched to co-create and channelize the energies of all the citizens to demand and contribute to the sustenance of Good Air Quality vital for safe and healthy living. School students play a pivotal role in raising the right questions, convincing families and friends through nudging them to move out of the lethargy of inaction to a momentum of change. Through SHAN program, we are attempting to create the right awareness, kindle the curiosity and motivate the children to take Good and Healthy Air as a matter of high priority for themselves and their surroundings. Partnerships with schools raise our hope that the future shall bring positive and impactful results.’, shared Mr. Rajiv Khurana, CEO & Founder – The Personnel Lab, Co-Founder Trustee – Lung Care Foundation, International Corporate Train ‘Most people around the world are unaware of the dangers of pollution in air we breathe. In today’s time, knowing about air pollution and its impact on our health has become a critical task to continue the demand for cleaner air and better future. The AQLI, as designed by University of Chicago scientists, is a landmark step towards a more aware and a healthier world.’, expressed Mr. Vaibhav Chowdhary, Sr. Associate Director-Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (India) Executive Director of the DLF Public school Dr. Mrignaini invited other schools to join its Compassionate Ghaziabad initiative to create a kinder, more aware and a more humane Ghaziabad. She shared, ‘Since our missions are in resonance with each other, we’ve joined hands with the Lung Care Foundation with an aim to rewrite the story of Ghaziabad city from being one of the most polluted in the country to one where the citizens engage to lead this fight against air pollution and ensure clean air’. Participating students shared some wonderful realizations.... ‘In today’s webinar we also learnt that there is still hope left and we have one final chance to make the situation better so that we can breathe naturally, without any artificial help and enjoy the beautiful sceneries of our blue planet. These little efforts of ours, will benefit us ONLY. Today, even without doing it we all are technically smoking more than an average smoker, with this we all can clearly understand the effect of bad air quality. At last, I would like to say that our Earth and nature are the priceless and precious boons by god himself and it is our solemn duty to protect and nurture them and we will let nothing stop us to do so.’ Aadyant Prakash ‘As a Saaf Hawa and Nagrik Warrior we have learnt to protect our environment for current and future generations. We should become Change Makers, not Change Takers. What I learnt today is that we need to start our own Social Startup to fight for this cause’ Vanshika Tyagi.