The Quality of Responsiveness for Children

We are on a Jet Airline flight from Chennai to Delhi. I asked the man next to me what hardcover book he was reading, and of all the possible people on the full 777-800 flight, I sat next to a man reading a book by Michael Bar-Zohar, “No Mission is Impossible!” Several years ago I flew to Florida with Jeremy Swerling to share lunch with this historical novelist to discuss Bar-Zohar’s birthplace, Bulgaria! The Delhi resident on the plane and I shared a very interesting conversation regarding the Middle East, world security concerns, his job, and Destination Peace.

At the airport we reunited with Suresh following his presentation at a global conference regarding Malaria. We waited in a creeping line for cabs only to discover that there was an ongoing taxi strike against Uber drivers, including violence against them.

The air quality in Delhi is hazardous. You sense it instantly and everywhere. The latest headlines state that everyday eight people on average are dying in Delhi due to air pollution-related diseases. According to estimated figures from the census bureau of India the population of New Delhi in 2016 was 18.6 million, and is witnessing a huge growth in its population every year. The population of Delhi city is estimated to surpass 25 million in just three years.

Air pollution in Delhi is comprised of a complex mix of pollution from human activities (vehicle emissions, industry, construction, and residential fuel burning) as well as natural sources like dust and sea salt. Air flow patterns from neighboring Afghanistan and Pakistan pick up emissions as they move over the densely urbanized regions such as Punjab where farmers burn the straw in their fields and eventually settles as pollution in Delhi.

I plan on attending a United Nations summit a week after returning to the US on Monday, March 6th. Our friends Suresh, Naila and Robin will be speaking. The summit is a global platform providing leadership solutions that drive change toward inclusive and sustainable economies. That auspicious day I will make a point to seek out leaders in technology regarding solutions to the ravages of air pollution that are adversely affecting the sustainable health of millions of people. Every child born into this world has a right to breathe in clean air.

 

Today’s Hindustan Times article can be found here.

The waiting game finally ends: an update regarding our gratitude as passing travelers in the vicinity regarding how well the police implemented safety measures yesterday.

The Health of India’s Future is in its Children: Photo from today’s Hindustan Times
Today’s real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)
Article can be found here.

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