The plunging air quality in Delhi-NCR has left Esha Gupta appalled. The actor, who hails from Delhi, wonders why no preventive steps were taken by authorities all year round.

“It is just sad that instead of taking preventative measures all year round, our leaders are only reacting when the air is unbreathable,” says the 36-year-old, adding, “Vehicular emission and crop burning are adding to it (pollution).”

Here, she stresses on the need to find an alternative to stubble burning. “The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has come up with a solution for stubble burning. With this process, we can spray an enzyme on the crops, and this bio-enzyme decomposes the stubble in 20-25 days, turning it into fertilizer. This can be provided by the government to every farmer for free,” she suggests.

Gupta was recently named the ambassador of SeaLegacy, a non-profit organisation working towards the conservation of oceans. As a public persona, she says she feels responsible to voice pertinent issues.

“The Capital is going through its own climate crisis. A few years of conscious work will change things. We have the inherent duty of protecting our planet,” she ends.