''Right To Breathe'': Bengaluru Teen Writes Open Letter To PM Modi Advocating For Clean Air

Concerned about the serious health implications of air pollution on children, a 13-year-old girl from Bengaluru has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take measures to ensure clean air for them. In the letter, Asmee Sapre, who suffers from asthma and dust allergy, voiced her concern about the rising air pollution and its impact on millions of children like her.

A Twitter account called Warrior Moms shared a copy of her letter and a video of her appeal wherein she advocated for clean air. ''It is essential to broaden the conversation on air pollution beyond Delhi, acknowledging that people in diverse Indian cities & towns are grappling with similar challenges'' the tweet shared by Warrior Moms read, along with the hashtag '#BachonKaHakSaafHawa'.

In the video, the teenager said that the letter she wrote ''are not just the words of a 13-year-old, but the thoughts and dreams of all Indians who wish to live in a country where they can breathe without worrying".

See the post here:

An open letter by a 13 year old from #Bangalore to @PMOIndia asking for #CleanAir;

It is essential to broaden the conversation on air pollution beyond Delhi, acknowledging that people in diverse Indian cities & towns are grappling with similar challenges.#BachonKaHakSaafHawahttps://t.co/bXus0ODvoOpic.twitter.com/RvjZyo3D2Y

— Warrior Moms (@Warriormomsin) December 19, 2023

''Breathing in pollution-free air is the basic right with which every life is born on the earth, and yet, millions of animals die every year due to air pollution. While we may have a quick escape right now, I am afraid, in the future we will not. However, we are not, as many people believe, at a point of no return. As we saw during covid-19 pandemic quarantine when everything was shut down and there were much lesser sources of air pollution, in just a year or two, the air around us was so much cleaner...If just 2 years and nothing other than the reduced use of air polluting resources was enough for such a transformation to occur, then there could be so much more we can achieve with active and concise efforts,'' Ms Sapre wrote.

She also enlisted several measures that citizens of India can practice to reduce the devastating effects of air pollution and urged the government to ''implement new schemes to educate people'' and ''stricter regulations'' to ''achieve our goal of purer air and a healthier country to live in.''

''I do hope you will consider this open letter to be not only from me but from millions of other children who have the right to breathe in fresh air and look up to you to provide them with a better tomorrow,'' she concluded the letter. 

Not just Ms Sapre, several other children wrote similar letters to PM Modi as as part of an initiative under the 'My Right to Breathe' campaign. 

These heartfelt messages from the children of #Pune, struggling to breathe in a city that most of us thought had the cleanest air are signs that #AirPollution has no boundaries and is spreading its wings;

These words must be heard and acted upon! @PMOIndiapic.twitter.com/XSc4QMxoFn

— Warrior Moms (@Warriormomsin) December 19, 2023

An 8-year-old girl from Pune echoed similar sentiments asking the PM to take ''immediate action to protect our health and our future.''