GURGAON: To raise awareness about the increasing air pollution in the country and promote sustainable means of transport as a solution to curb it, city-based IT company Nagarro is organizing an 'Anti Air Pollution Ride' in Gurgaon in collaboration with the Raahgiri foundation on March 15.
The cycle ride will start from the Nagarro office in Electronic City, Udyog Vihar and end in the Raahgiri zone.
Pollution data has repeatedly indicated that the situation is getting serious and experts have suggested that it is time that Indians came together and tackled this issue on a war footing. Cycling has been considered a sustainable means of transport. Experts said cycling might seem an activity fraught with high risk considering the dangers inherent on the roads and the highways in and around Gurgaon. But it has frequently been stressed that cycling, alongside walking and public transport, should form the backbone of the transportation system of not just Delhi, Gurgaon and the NCR, but of cities and towns across India.
Approximately 6 lakh people die every year in India because of air pollution. It has been estimated that motor vehicles account for as much as 70 percent of the pollution levels in metros. Recently, the World Health Organization judged Delhi as the world's most polluted city - and Gurgaon is not very far behind.
Another study concluded that air pollution in Delhi kills 20 people every day, besides triggering an estimated 6 million asthma attacks.
The air quality in Gurgaon is no better than Delhi's (if not worse) due to its proximity to the Capital, and also the city's similar socio-economic and habitation profile.
One hopes that the weekend's cycle ride will contribute towards raising awareness of urban air pollution and take steps to remove it from our lives.
