Some residents of the Indian city of are Gurgaon are beginning to seek divine intervention to purify the air due to the unabating pollution in the city and the inability of government agencies to take adequate steps to improve air quality.
The residents performed a ‘havan’ — a ritual burning of offerings — on Saturday and offered different items in the fire to please God for purifying the air.
They also plan to perform 100 havans in different parts of Gurgaon on December 31 by involving a large number of people from different sections of society.
“Havan was performed for conservation and protection of the environment and make people aware about pollution and its harmful effects,” said Pramod Raghav, organiser of the havan. He said it was also an effort to make people aware about the environment conservation.
The priest who performed the havan dismissed suggestions that the exercise entails a degree of air pollution, saying
on the contrary, it actually purifies the air.
Sushant Mishra, an IT professional, who was upset with the government over its failure to take steps for improvement of air, said, “Now only God can protect us from air pollution. Instead of doing something about it the government is continuing to fell trees.“
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