Air Purifiers - A symbol of Rich Poor divide

The heavy layer of smoke and dust we saw in Delhi on 2nd of November saw advice coming from all corners - stay indoors, use AC at home, use AC in cars, use Masks and it wasn't long before Air Purifiers got added to the list, got added to people's Amazon search history, and got added to advertisements in the newspapers and in the mobiles.

Now I won't even talk about rest of the species that reside in Delhi, I know they don't matter to us since ages, and Nature will take their revenge with time. But what about some of us. How is a labourer supposed to use AC in the car, how is the gardener supposed to stay indoors, how are the kids of the construction worker next to my home going to put on the masks -  no body is even at home when 5 of these kids spend their day playing outside their temporary dwelling.

Don't they have a right on fresh air? Yes they do!!
Don't we have a right of fresh air? Yes we do!!

But something socially toxic has happened recently. Air Purifiers have sneaked into houses. In those very houses that have ACs, that have Cars - houses that contribute most to pollution. And this will continue. Over next few years all these houses would have Air Purifiers just like we have water purifiers. And then, a few years down the line, when there would again be that dreaded layer of smoke and dust the questions will come again....

Don't we have a right of fresh air? Yes we do. We have it at home, you know the air purifier! Its like this only every year.
Don't they have a right on fresh air. Well...who ??

And here goes the poor fellow.

Just like cars have not left any space on roads for people to walk, to cycle. And no I am not talking about people who would want to walk/cycle for good health once in  a while. I am talking about those who don't have cars. They have to walk. And there is no space to walk. And its accepted now that roads are for cars billowing smoke thrusting dust into the nostrils of those trying to walk. That itself is a symbol of Rich Poor divide.

And so will the Air Purifiers be. A new normal. A bad normal as they pollute the fundamental theory that fresh air is for everyone !

Cheers,
Manish