Mask Yoga: a new trend or a protest by the citizens?

Yesterday was the 4^th International Yoga Day was celebrated worldwide, making India proud. From the basic yoga to power yoga all participated in the event.

Taking an opportunity on the International Yoga Day, residents of a housing society in Noida, Uttar Pradesh organised a unique protest with an important message. Over a 1,000 residents of a society in Sector 123 performed Yoga wearing breathing masks to highlight the difficulties they face owing to the city’s toxic levels of air pollution.

Residents told the media that the objective of their protest is to attract Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s attention towards their ordeal. The building which houses the residents is located barely 170 metres away from a dumping ground which makes life miserable for those living in the area. Alleging that the Noida Authority’s claims regarding the dumping ground are unfounded, a resident said, “We know that the Noida Authority does not mean it when it says that this dumping ground is temporary, and we request the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to look into the matter.”

READ ALSO: 73-yr-old woman dies during International Yoga Day celebrations

According to media reports, similar symbolic protests were organised in other parts of the country such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Varanasi. Residents made sure to register their discontent, on International Yoga Day, with high toxic air quality levels being registered across the country. The severity of the situation can be best summed up by citing figures from the national capital where toxicity in air quality has reached ‘hazardous’ levels and continues to deteriorate with every passing day.

International Yoga Day was first celebrated on June 21, 2015, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the importance of individual fitness and the role it plays in the well-being of those who practice it across the globe. The date was then declared as the ‘International Yoga Day’ unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly.