In Delhi, Students Take On Pollution At Traffic Signals

New Delhi: Stacks of smoke are clouding the skies in Delhi. You see and smell the fumes, feel them in your lungs at every traffic intersection. Carbon emissions are highest when a car's engine is idling, most of the times traffic signals. City's youngsters have now taken it upon themselves to raise awareness about the alarming air pollution in the national capital. 

Over 100 students gathered at the Moti Bagh intersection on Saturday, urging commuters to 'switch off' the ignition to reduce vehicular emissions. 

Volunteers from Blue Bells International School, Mount Carmel and Sadhu Vaswani School visited various schools and held talks on how the young generation can contribute in raising awareness. They also distributed pollution masks and pamphlets with information on simple things that can help reduce emissions. 

The group of student volunteers are also asking commuters to share ideas on reducing pollution levels on their official Facebook page.

The initiative was led by 17-year-old Aadyaa Singhania. 

'We students can educate our families, neighbours and RWAs towards what must be done to reduce pollution. One should turn off their engines while idling at intersections when the wait is longer than 15 seconds,' she says. 

Ms Singhania, who studies in a boarding school in London, started '#breathe - a clean air campaign, against the rising pollution in Delhi.

Their effort has been lauded by the residential welfare organisations and schools. It is also increasingly becoming popular among commuters. 

"They gave me a pamphlet and told me about the benefits of turning off the engine while idle last week at the ITO crossing, look now at Moti Bagh, I already have done so. I save fuel and I do my bit to make Delhi a bit healthier," said Arjun, a motorcyclist.