Chalk-White To Coal-Black: Ludhiana's 'Breathing Billboard' Brings Attention To Rising Pollution Levels

Punjab's pollution levels have been concerning residents and environmentalists for quite a while now, with the air quality index (AQI) of the majority of cities at an "unhealthy" scale. Many among the cities from Ludhiana to Patiala have recorded AQIs between 163-120, which falls at a level that makes residents susceptible to adverse health effects with aggravation to the heart and lungs. Vulnerable groups, in particular, are at risk of experiencing severe respiratory issues.

While the data offered a picture, it failed to help many understand the intensity of the concern. Trying to take this image to the people, a 'breathing billboard' with a giant pair of lungs was installed at a busy junction of Ludhiana. The lungs, when installed, were a shade of chalk white and acted as a 'litmus test' for the air quality in the city. Within a span of nine days, the giant pair of lungs turned to a shade of dark black and began raising concern among the population.

It took only a week for Ludhiana's lungs to turn black. pic.twitter.com/ZDW87wwwgE

— Clean Air Punjab (@CleanAirPunjab) December 10, 2022

'Clean Air Punjab' For Cleaner Air

The lungs billboard was established as a part of a larger campaign driven by Clean Air Punjab along with a Senior Secondary School, EcoSikh, and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to raise awareness about the deteriorating air quality in the Malwa belt. The project titled - 'The Billboard that Breathes' installed 'artificial' lungs outside the BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School in Shastri Nagar and observed the changing shades of the lungs as days passed.

Right from Day three, the colour of the lungs began fading, indicating the impact of long-term exposure to poor air quality. By Day eight, it had turned black in colour. An article by the Indian Express quoted the Campaign Manager of EcoSikh, Gurpreet Kaur saying, "We are fully aware of the worsening air quality in Ludhiana. We expect that efforts to lower pollution levels will be coordinated by the government and the general public as our health is at stake." For this, the chalk-white lungs turning coal-black becomes an eye-opener. Since being installed, thousands of students and educators have visited the billboard and voiced their concerns about the air pollution levels in the city.

A similar project was installed in Mumbai in January 2020, and it had taken about two weeks for the lungs to turn to the shade of black that the Punjab billboard turned in six days. Experts and many local residents are now urging the government to consider the billboard experiment as a warning sign to intervene and implement stronger and more effective measures to improve the air quality in the state.

Call For A Fundamental Right

Access to clean air is a fundamental human right that many continue to be denied due to poor pollution management by the state and citizens. Samita Kaur, a member of a group named Warrior Moms, stated that the greying of the lungs is an eye-opener to the toxicity of Punjab's air. Questioning the system, she added that "Punjab has nine non-attainment cities. What purpose does the industrial growth in cities like Ludhiana serve?" Poor Air quality is the root cause of growing health concerns such as cancer and childhood asthma, yet the authorities fail to address it.

Stating that the people do not want Punjab to have a deplorable standard of living, she continues to advocate for a better tomorrow. Many mothers like Kaur from the 'Warrior Moms' have been approaching responsible authorities to ensure their children are not denied basic and fundamental rights such as clean air. Health officials also have, over time, attempted to take this concern to the masses but to much vain.

Dr Akashdeep, Senior Pulmonologist DMC, Ludhiana, said that the number of people approaching with concerns of shortness of breath, persistent and recurrent cough, chronic bronchitis, obstructive airway disease, rhinitis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other respiratory issues are closely correlated with the amount of pollution. Supporting these findings, Dr Amandeep Bains also conveyed that the lungs project is a wake-up call to an emergency that continues to be heavily disregarded.

Also Read: Delhi Air Quality Improves Marginally; Punjab Farm Fires Still A Primary Contributor To Pollution